Our Time To Shine
by Wall With A Fez
Summary: This is the story of the Dumping Ground, starting when Arietta Rosenberg joined. This story is not sugar coated, and it is not light hearted; contains mature themes. Mostly rated a T, but there are certain (marked) chapters that may border on M material. Ships: Rick/OC, Johnny/Kitty, Johnny/OC, Tee/Tyler, as well as others. Guess who's back, back again. I am back, finally.
1. The Start

**Our Time To Shine**

**Part One: Elmtree House**

**Chapter 1 Our Time To Shine/Chapter 24 Not Alone Anymore**

Where does this story start?

You may say the beginning, but when is the logical beginning?

February 2006 when Tee and Johnny Taylor were put into care?

2007 when Harry moved to Dumping Ground?

2008 when Frank was taken into care?

2011 when Tyler, Rick and Kitty came to Elmtree after Burnywood was burnt down?

Or 2013 when Kitty came back?

What about when Jody was discovered in 2011?

How about 2012, when Faith was brought in?

Or when Erin was saved in June 2013?

Or how Sam got her last chance a month later?

Or how Mo had slipped into the midst unnoticed?

Or how about when Mike joined, back in the olden days when there were dinosaurs, and no dentists, and the world was in black and white, because colour hadn't be invented yet?

No.

This story started on the 22nd of October 2013, a fairly ordinary day one would imagine; a Tuesday.

On this particular day Arietta Rosenberg, a Chinese girl obsessed with music and postboxes, joined the Dumping Ground. Some people might say that was the start of a new story, but being the start of a new story implies that the arrival of Arietta was momentous enough to justify the new story.

Which wasn't the case, because when you live in care new people come and go, and the people you are surrounded with are ever-changing. This factor makes it almost impossible to decide where to start to an account of their lives; it would be logical to choose the arrival of someone, and inconveniently the arrival had to be Arietta's.

Inconvenient because Ari arrived at Elmtree house during a very complex situation, a situation centred round 3 missing care kids, one – named Erin – who was conveniently pregnant. Said girl, Erin Walker, along with her boyfriend (who was also missing) Rick Barber were the leaders of the Dumping Ground, so their disappearance had nearly led to anarchy, which had been resolved but still the structure of the Dumping Ground was unstable.

However, as Arietta was being driven to Dumping Ground none of this mattered. Instead the 14 (nearly 15) year old girl was wondering whether she was going to panic or whether she was going to put up an impenetrable shield. After all Elmtree House or whatever it was called was her first experience of a mainstream care home, so she really had no idea what to expect.

_Making a good first impression seems like a good place to start_, she decided before catching her reflection in the mirror and feeling inclined to invent time travel, so she could go back and punch her past self in the face...

Or leave a memo reminding herself NOT to wear clothes that made her look like she had been dressed by a small hyper child, before being puked upon by a rainbow-vomiting unicorn.

_Is there anyway to pull off this look? _She debated, _maybe I could give it a "super-fun vibe" or a... something vibe or a..._

"Arietta Rosenberg! Have you listened to a word I have said in the last half an hour?" Steve, her social worker questioned.

"You were talking?" she replied, not bothering to hide her surprise.

"Ari," he sighed, "_this _is important."

"Yeah... pretend to be healthy, and not insane, so I don't get sent back to a specialist centre. Ya da ya da ya da, yeah I know," she said wavering her hands in air, "bloody government spending cuts," she muttered, pulling out her phone and putting on headphones, choosing to listen to some Vivaldi so she didn't have to converse with her social worker.

Xxx

When she was about halfway through the movement _Autumn_, Steve pulled up into the drive of a fairly large cream-coloured house with red doors that could almost be described as pretty.

"Nice house," Ari commented, jumping out of the car and going to the back of the car to retrieve her bags. _Though looks can be deceiving_, she added in her head, as she picked up her guitar which she slung over her shoulder and grabbed two carrier bags of clothes and miscellaneous items.

She couldn't help but wish she still had her violin; after all playing the violin had been her forte, and one of the few areas that she had excelled in. Unfortunately she no longer had a violin, after pushing her parents too far during a fight, nearly two years, and her Dad had taken great pleasure at throwing her treasured possession to the floor and stamping on it.

She shook her head, as if it to remove thoughts of her parents and the past, so she could allow herself to focus on the future.

Steve knocked on the door, which was answered almost immediately by a balding (and greying) man.

"Hello I am Mike Milligan, head care worker of Elmtree House. You must be Arietta?" he said, opening the door letting the girl in.

"Yeah, hi, that's me," the Chinese girl replied, examining the hallway. "Um... shall I just leave my stuff here?" she asked,

"Don't worry I'll take it up to your room," he told her, "but first we'll introduce you to the other kids."

"Cool," she stated, feeling a bit unsure how to act.

"They are great kids," Mike said, smiling, with an almost fatherly-pride, "but they're going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment," he explained.  
"Oh ok, what happened?" she questioned, feeling more than a little bit disconcerted.

But before Mike could reply she found herself standing in a doorway;

"Everybody this is Arietta, make her feel welcome please!" Mike exclaimed, before rushing off, leaving Ari's question unanswered and an awkward silence filling the room.

She quickly scanned the room, surprised when she noticed a familiar face; a girl named Kitty who had been at the same specialist care home as Ari, but had left a few months ago. But the look on Kitty's face made it pretty obvious that she hadn't recognised the older girl.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a blonde girl, who had been sitting in the corner and Ari had missed in her original scan of the room. The girl stood up and walked over to Ari, before extending her hand.

"Hi Arietta, I'm Sam," she said smiling, "I'm 14 as well. This is: Harry, Tyler, Faith, Kitty, Frank, Mo," she told Arietta pointing at each person in turn, "and Johnny, who is upstairs," she added, pointing at the ceiling.

"Hiya," she replied lamely, before mentally kicking herself, _who says hiya? No one speaks like that... well I suppose some people must do_... she trailed off, stopping her brain from running off on a tangent, and focused what was going on outside of her brain. _Small talk_, what part of her brain commanded.

"Not being funny, but there isn't a lot of you here but this looks like a pretty big home?" All the kids sighed.

"_Hiya" and "not being funny"... why couldn't she speak like a normal person? Like the normal person she evidently wasn't. Was that why they were sighing? _She questioned, before it occurred to her that they might be sighing for a reason other than the way of her speech.

"One of the girls, Johnny's sister Tee ran away about 5 days ago and a few days ago Erin and Rick who were like the leaders of us all ran away after her," a boy, Tyler(?) stated.

"Oh," she said simply, "how old are they all?" she asked before she could stop herself,

"Tee's 13, that's why Erin and Rick went after her and they're both 14," Sam said, "But Erin's pregnant, so we're all worried about her and Tee's alone as far as we know so Johnny's really sensitive at the moment, so just be careful mentioning anything to do with her around him."

Arietta nodded, awkwardly, unsure about what to say.

"Anything else I should know?" she asked,

"Frank's got cerebral palsy, but he's completely normal. Johnny has anger issues, hence why you shouldn't talk to Tee about him, Erin used to have anger issues but they've definitely got better now and Mo likes hunting for treasure so hide your stuff," Sam told her laughing, amazingly everyone else laughed with her. Arietta nodded dumbly, unsure of what to say.

"Hey do you wanna play cards?" Tyler asked, sitting down at a table, grabbing a pack of cards.

"Yeah, go on then," she told him, joining him at the table, "anyone else up for a game?" She questioned.

Sam, the blonde girl, took a seat next to Ari,

"I'm not usually this awkward," she admitted to Sam,

"it's fine," the other girl replied, "it's only natural to be nervous, but everyone's really nice here," she told her, though to Ari her last statement that Sam was trying to convince herself that, rather than Ari.

"Been here long?" Ari questioned, noticing vaguely as Kitty and Frank sat down next to Tyler, who started dealing the cards.

"About 3 months," she admitted,

"I've been here about a month," Kitty said joining the conversation,

"what about you Frank?" the Chinese girl asked,

"I've been here for 5 years," he replied, "longer than all of them."

The teenagers kept chatting, and played the games. All of which ended with Frank thrashing the rest of them,

"you're not part of the Dumping Ground till Frank has beaten you at cards," Tyler told Ari,

"that's true," Sam commented, "pretty much the first thing that happened to me when I joined."

"What, is being beaten by Frank the standard welcome?" she questioned,

"more or less," Tyler stated,

"everyone used to get the Gus tour," Frank said,

"Gus was a really weird boy who lived here," Tyler explained,

"yeah, he was proper mental," Jody yelled from the other side of the room.

Ari bit back a response, not wanting to make it into their bad books so early on.

"He got fostered," Tyler commented, "by a gay couple."

"Were they cute?" Arietta couldn't help but ask,

"it was two women," Kitty replied, with a certain amount of distaste in her voice, as if believing that her statement had answered Ari's question.

Ari was very tempted to roll her eyes, but decided against it.  
"So cute then," she said instead, and she noticed Sam clock her, _definitely gay_. Ari smiled slightly, glad that she had been able to confirm Sam's sexual orientation early on, _best way to avoid confusion, _she noted; and after all she hated falling for straight girls.

"What are you thinking?" Sam questioned, and before Ari could reply she was cut off by Kitty's phone ringing.

"I'll be back in a second," she said sprinting away, leaving the rest of them confused but they carried on playing without her, when she wasn't back after 5 minutes.

About 20 minutes later Kitty reappeared with a boy that Ari presumed was Johnny.

"We need to talk to you guys in private," she told the table, Frank, Tyler and Sam started to get up, and Ari copied. "No not you Arietta, sorry," Kitty apologized.

Sam froze as if to say something, before deciding against it and hurrying off after the others. Leaving Ari alone.

"Nothing like a friendly welcome," she muttered, tossing her cards down, before standing up and going to find her room.

After a fair bit of trial and error she found her room, and started unpacking her things; hanging her clothes up in the wardrobe, and making a mental note to only wear _normal _clothes from now on.

Well, _more _normal clothes anyway.

She placed her empty holdall in the bottom of her wardrobe, and turned her attention to her remaining bags; four carrier bags and a rucksack.

She half-wished that one of the other kids would turn up, and ask if she needed any help. Or even just acknowledge her existence. Arietta couldn't help but feel a bit like a Christmas present; interesting for all of 5 minutes, before being dumped in the corner and forgotten about.

Sighing she sat down on the bed, and plucked a framed photo out of her rucksack, she found herself smiling at the picture; it had been taken at a friend's Christmas party in 2011, only a couple of weeks before her world had been smashed to pieces. Her smiling 12 year old self had no idea what was going to come, and couldn't have even envisioned a future without the girl standing next to her; Symphony – her big sister and her best friend.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door,

"come in," she called after a moment, the door opened and Sam poked her head around it.

"Are you ok?" The blonde questioned, walking into the room.

"I'm peachy," Ari lied,

"peachy?" Sam asked, shaking her head slightly,

"don't ask," the Chinese girl replied.

"Sorry about running off like that, it was an emergency," she smiled softly, "we don't tend to deliberately isolate people."

Ari frowned slightly, yet again it sounded like Sam's statements were trying to convince herself instead of Ari, she shook that thought away.

"Don't worry, it's cool," she stated,

"tea is going to be ready in a minute," Sam told her, "but if we go now we can avoid the stampede."

"Are meal times usually that bad?" Ari questioned,

"trust me, there are," the blonde girl replied, "us kids are like a pack of hyenas."

"Ok, let's go then," she stated, "don't really want to get torn apart on my first day."

"I would say that we are not bad," Sam declared, as they made their way downstairs, "but that would be a lie," she paused for a moment, "this place can be like hell," she admitted.

"Not really," Ari replied darkly, "I've been to hell on Earth and it was a million times worse than this place."

Before Sam could ask what the new girl had meant she was interrupted by Gina roaring, "DINNER!" So instead she grabbed Ari's hand and pulled her into the kitchen so they could get the food first.

All while making a mental note to ask Arietta about her past.

**Ok Chapter 1 done, hope you like it.**

**Please review xxx**


	2. The Elmtree Cat (Or Kitty) Fight

**Chapter 2/Chapter 27**

**Thank you Cookie05 for following and reviewing**

**Thank you Shine-Of-A-Star for following and adding to favourites**

**Thank you Zebralover4578 for reviewing and if you want help uploading I could try and help you.**

**Thank you Guest101 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple2014 for reviewing, following and adding to favourites. **

**Thank you Linneagb for reviewing and adding to favourites.**

_She was trapped in the darkness, her hands tied behind her back, she could feel the could metal against her skull. Then BANG._

Arietta bolted upright, waking up immediately. She looked around, confused. _Where am I? _Then she remembered, _new care home, duh. _Like routine she swung herself of the bed and examined her arms – red but she hadn't broken the skin. The marks would fade, so would the scars elsewhere on her body, the marks would disappear, the scars wouldn't.

She didn't bother checking the time, she knew from experience that it was sometime before 6. She grabbed a pair of jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt and hoodie and used the shower quickly, washing her hair then scraped it back into a bun. The marks of her arms were gone, her scars, the scars, still remained.

Xxx

Cor Anglais – deep melodic instruments with a rich melancholy tone. Arietta wished she could play it but she had never managed the techniques of a wind instrument, she had tried out flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons but she was always unsuccessful.

But just because she couldn't play an instrument had never stopped her composing for it. She wasn't going to lie, the October morning was chilly but she had faced far worse. She heard the back door clicking, deciding to investigate she slipped her notebook into her pocket and headed in that direction.

Xxx

Kitty was sitting on the stairs outside the kitchen in silence, she didn't notice Arietta approaching. She was too wrapped in her own thoughts due to the attempted suicide of her boyfriend – Johnny. Not that Arietta knew about these events – no one had thought to tell her.

"Hey, what are you doing out here so early?" Arietta asked, accidentally making Kitty jump.

"Just thinking," Kitty told her, Arietta sat on the step next to her and comfortingly part an arm round the younger girl.

"You know you can talk to me if you're upset... right?" she said, almost as a question. She wanted people to see her as a person they could rely on.

"You wouldn't understand," Kitty told her,

"I probably would," Arietta muttered, thinking of everything she had been through.

"But you wouldn't. That's the thing. YOU can't barge in here thinking YOU own the place and know everything. YOU. DON'T. KNOW. ANYTHING!" Kitty sprinted away leaving Arietta stunned. She had just trying to help, she hadn't wanted to upset anyone, she didn't see the point. But she had accidentally succeeded after being at Elmtree House for less than 24 hours.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, not that Kitty could hear the apology anyway.

Xxx

"What are you doing out here?" Faith asked, Arietta turned to her,

"couldn't sleep, neither could Kitty and I asked her if she was ok and she completely went off on one, I mean I was sitting like WHOA! She has more anger issues than Beethoven and his anger was justified, he was going deaf." Faith looked confused, "she looked unhappy, I asked her what was wrong, she had a massive go at me and ran away," Arietta explained,

"right, ok," Faith said, "I'll go looking for her, you should go inside." Arietta nodded and mentally slapped herself for the unneeded musical comments.

She wasn't going to lie, those comments were uncalled for, Kitty probably had some reason to hate her. One of her old friends, Piper, had nicknamed her Marmite because you either loved Arietta Tara Rosenberg or you hated her. There really was no in between.

Sighing, she stood up and returned inside, after all she still had stuff to unpack.

Xxx

When Arietta came down to breakfast Kitty approached, _shit, there is going to be a fight. I don't want a fight, I have only been here a day. What would Mozart do? Think Arietta, think. Wait how would Mozart be able to help me, O Fortuna might help. Why would O Fortuna help? Well at least I would get beaten up to dramatic music._

"Look I'm sorry about earlier, I was just annoyed, okay. I thought you were taking Erin's place but yeah, I'm sorry, I know you were just trying to be nice," Kitty said in a mumble.

_She's apologising?! Ok I expected to be murdered, say something nice, let her know you've forgiven her._

"Don't worry, I know you wouldn't intentionally be horrible," she told the younger and (quite a lot) smaller girl, but then again Arietta was ridiculously tall but unlike Sam who suited her height, Ari just had an awkwardly gangly appearance. Kitty smiled and sat down at the table, where Arietta joined her.

"So when does school start?" Arietta asked,

"well we got two weeks for half term and this the second week, so we still have quite a few days," Tyler told her,

"you'll be in year 10 so there is a good chance you will know someone in your form group, each year has 4 forms so there is a 50% chance that you will be with someone from the Dumping Ground. Rick and Erin are in 10Br and I'm in 10RS," Sam told her,

"ok, I guess that is slightly reassuring."

"Don't worry I have only been going to the school for two weeks," Kitty told her,

"at least I'm not the only one."

"Yeah and I only started at the beginning of the term," Sam said.

"Kitty which year are you in?" the new girl asked,

"I'm in year 9 with Johnny, Tee and Tyler are in year 8, Jody is in year 7, Frank is in year 11 and Faith in year 12," Kitty told her,

"and Erin, Rick and Sam are in year 10 with me?" she questioned, Kitty nodded in response. "Ok, um... so what type of... music do you guys like?"

**Thank you for reading, please review and Zebralover4578 if I could help in some way please tell me in a review xxx**


	3. You Don't Know Pain

**Chapter 3**

**Thank you Linneagb for reviewing, "Love it or hate it," is the British Marmite campaign, I personally think it is disgusting but I have a friend who loves it and eats it with everything. **

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Also I used the ages given by Zebralover4578 in Not Alone Anymore, though I did transfer Sam from year 9 to year 10 for various reasons.**

**WARNING SOME OF THE ABUSE AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER MAY BE RATED M, IF YOU THINK I SHOULD CHANGE THE RATING TELL ME IN A REVIEW OR BY PM.**

On Arietta's second full day in the mainstream care system she found herself being questioned intrusively.

What if she didn't want to remember everything?

Answering their questions meant facing the truth, something Arietta Tara Rosenberg wasn't planning on doing. Ever.

Xxx

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Tyler asked, she considered, she could tell them she was the 14th child of the family and last time she checked she had at least another 14 younger siblings as well.

"I have lots," she told them in a monotone.

"How old are they?" Kitty asked,

"I have lots," she repeated, her monotone bordering on robot.

"So where do you come from?" Tyler asked, sensing that Arietta wouldn't give them the truth any time soon.

"I was born in Beijing, I've lived there for the majority of my life."

"It must have been so cool to live in Beijing," Frank commented,

"it was," Arietta lied.

Well come on. Like she was going to tell them that she more or less grew up on a rubbish heap with a sheet of aluminium as a roof. Admittedly it wasn't actually a rubbish heap, she had once heard someone call it a Shanty Town but to her it didn't matter what you called it. It would always be a dump.

"Do you play any musical instruments?" Kitty asked, "Erin, Rick and Sam play the guitar,"

"ooh snap," she told the tiny girl, well tiny from Arietta's point of view, "I also play the violin which is my favourite instrument. I also play the piano, bass guitar and drums but I could probably play most instruments that aren't wind or brass,"

"why not wind or brass?" Tyler asked,

"because I'm not very good at blowing," she replied grinning.

"You into any sports?" Frank asked,

"I'm more into running, I have terrible upper body strength," she informed them,

"opposite of Sam, Sam is on the school basketball team and plays county softball."

"You should try basketball," Sam told Ari, "you're tall enough and to be honest the team is desperate to find to new members because for some reason it is hard to find girls above 5'7 who are willing to play basketball for the school team."

"How tall are you exactly?" Kitty questioned,

"5 foot 10 and a half, too tall to be a model,"

"I'm 5'9," Sam piped up,

"perfect height for a model and you could pass for one too," Ari commented, smiling as Sam blushed furiously and tried to hide behind her blonde hair.

"So what sports do you like Frank?"

Xxx

"Why are you here?" Sam blurted out, everyone turned to stare at the girl.

_Shit,_ Arietta thought to herself, _what could she say to them? She couldn't tell them the truth, she wanted to forget not remember._

"Sam, that's a bit rude," Frank told her awkwardly, the others looked away embarrassed.

"Don't Frank, it's all right, but, to be honest, I don't really want to tell my life story to a group of people I've just met. You seem nice and... that but... it's just too early," Arietta told them truthfully, after all her terrible ordeal had only ended 3 months ago.

To her chagrin Kitty scoffed at Arietta's words but tried to disguise it as a cough. Arietta had had enough, it was a miracle she didn't punch Kitty, after all Kitty had managed to take all her anger out on the new girl for no obvious reason. Most people found Arietta's story unbelievable, unbelievable because how could a girl who had been through that much could wake up. Smile. Eat breakfast. Smile. Be the focus of verbal abuse. Smile. Live life. Smile.

Arietta had gotten so use to smiling that she found herself smiling constantly. Fake-smiling of course. Arietta Rosenberg couldn't even remember what a real smile felt like.

Kitty had seen the smile, mistook it for genuine and because of her "real" smile knew that Arietta's past couldn't have been that bad. Because of course you can't live life with a smile on your face if you have seen darkness, the worst in the world.

So Kitty laughed at Arietta mistaking the violinist for naïve, vulnerable and sheltered from the shit of life and it was a miracle Ari made it to the haven of her room.

FLASHBACK

"_You don't know pain," the man yelled, his booted foot collided with Arietta's stomach, she lay on the floor, defeated. She had no tears left to cry._

_The pain had burned her insides out, like the strongest type of poison. The poison had killed her humanity, leaving an empty shell._

_An empty shell lying in their own piss and blood._

"_You don't know the pain I have felt, you don't know what pain is," he took a deep breath and walked away before stopping picking up a package of some kind. Arietta couldn't make out what it was despite her eyes being attuned to the dark. He made his way back over to Arietta and crouched down beside her, he held the package above Arietta's face. _

_It was a bottle of some kind filled with blood. "This is her blood," he told her, "what happened to her was your fault," Ari tried to shuffle away but before she had gotten any distance at all he had grabbed her leg, forcing her to stay still. He slapped her across the face, "whore, if I am talking you will listen to me, is that clear," she looked at him, her eyes telling him it was clear. "Say yes, whore," he yelled at her, she tried to speak, no words came out. _

"_I was going to leave you alone," he told her, "but if you won't do what I say I will have to punish you."_

_He tipped her head back violently, he plugged her nose, forcing her to breathe through her mouth and as she opened her mouth, he started pouring the blood down her throat._

_She choked, she gagged, she tried to spit it out. He kept pouring and she ended up swallowing quite a lot of it, and what she didn't swallow ran down her body, mixing with her own blood, like paint on a palet._

_When he was finished, he laughed and walked away. _

_Her body took matters into its own hands and she started throwing up the blood and fortunately was able to roll onto her side to stop herself from choking on her own vomit. But other than that she was too weak to move so she ended up lying in her blood, her piss, her vomit and if that wasn't bad enough, Mia's blood too._

"It was my fault," Arietta Rosenberg couldn't help but whisper.


	4. Sam's Time To Shine

**Chapter 4/Chapter 32**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

Arietta was brought back to the real world by a knocking at the door, she pulled herself off the floor before realising she was soaking. Shit. Mentally thanking Mike for putting her in a room with a wooden floor she quickly pulled off her jeans and used them to dry to the floor. She stuffed them into a plastic bag along with her pants. She quickly pulled on a skirt and grabbed a thick music theory book. Then quickly sprayed some deodorant, hoping to eliminate the smell of piss.

"Come in," Arietta said, Sam opened the door and walked in closing it behind her, Sam didn't seem to notice the strong smell of spray.

"Interesting book?" Sam asked,

"music theory," Ari replied, looking up and closing the book before storing into under her bed. As she returned to her original position she noticed Sam was holding a box.

"So Sam what can I do for you?"

Sam looked away from Arietta's brown eyes and to the box, "I was thinking, since you arrived everything has been about you. We've all been very upfront, demanding details on your life. Trying to get to know you but to you, we are complete strangers. You know nothing about us, and there we are demanding information about you and you probably don't even know my surname. So, it only seems fair that I tell you about me," Sam sitting down on the bed, facing Arietta.

She opened the box and handed Arietta the first picture, it was a picture of her Mum holding a newborn Sam, "my name is Samantha Carter but I am most commonly known as Sam, some people call me Sammy but it makes me feel about 5. I am in year 10, like you, I was born on the 17th March 1999 and I am 14."

She passed Arietta the next picture, showing Sam aged 4, with an older girl, her Mum and Dad, "that picture was taken when I was 4, about a month before Dad left. Dad had been having an affair and around the same time my Mum was ill, really ill. One day she went into hospital and when she came home she was crying, she told me and Shine to go upstairs and she talked to my Dad. He left that night, and Mum cried, when Shine – my big sister asked why, she told us she had this thing called Cancer."

FLASHBACK

"Mummy," Sam whispered, "Mummy what's cancer?" Her Mother brushed her hands through her long brown hair, as she sat down next to her youngest daughter.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked, smiling, fake smiling.

"Shine said you had it. What is it? Is it bad?"

"Cancer makes you ill," her Mum told her, it was only when Sam was older that she realised how much her Mother had simplified it for her.

"But we have medicine in the cupboard, medicine makes you better when you're sick," the 4 year old replied,

"the medicine in the cupboard won't help me," she whispered softly,

"well go to the doctors, they can give you medicine."

"The doctors don't have anything that can help,"

"but they make people better, why can't they make you better?" Sam cried,

"I don't know," she replied standing up, "come on Sammy, it's time to pick Shine up from school."

END OF FLASHBACK

"About two months after that she died, then Shine and I went to live with my Dad and his girlfriend, Kahri. Kahri was in her twenties and Dad always looked and acted younger than his age. Before I knew what was happening the two of them had locked me and Shine in our bedroom, which had no windows and they stayed out all night. They did this every night and every day, about once a week they would take us up onto the roof of our block of flats, just so we got some sunlight while we remained unseen. During this time Shine had started to teach me all the stuff she knew, but she had been taking out of school age 9 so she only had limited knowledge. When I was 8 and Shine was 13 our Dad let Shine go outside by herself, only because he knew that she would never run away without me. She started busking illegally and she was good, really good. She used the money she made to buy me school books and I was able to start teaching myself during the day. She also bought a guitar for herself and for my 9th birthday she bought me a guitar too, also she saved money for our future. When Dad and Kahri came into our room we had to hide our stuff, because if they found it we would have been in massive trouble. Then when I was 11 we got our lucky break, they forgot to lock our bedroom door so when they were gone Shine packed all our stuff and we had run away. We travelled from London to Manchester and Shine used the saved money to hire us a back room of a run down Victorian house. It was only one room and smashed up bathroom, we had to sleep on camp beds but it was better than home. Shine got a job at a club as a singer and she sent me to school, having to lie continuously, saying she was 18 and my legal guardian but the school was used to unusual situations and turned a blind eye and let me attend the school."

Sam stopped talking for a second taking the two girls into a relaxing but slightly awkward silence, "It's okay, I'm here." Sam looked up and gave Arietta a tiny smile before taking a deep breath and launching into the end of the story.

FLASHBACK

She was 12, in her final term of year 7 and she was free. Free from her Dad and Kahri, free from the small flat in London. Now Samantha Marcia Carter lived in a bedsit in Manchester, it wasn't much; a small room with two dirty mattresses that had cost Shine forty quid. Next to the small room was a bathroom, a bashed up sink that only worked half the time and a toilet. No bath, no shower but Sam and Shine were used to washing their hair in the sink.

Sam had a routine, leave home at 8, school start at 8:40, school end at 3:30, get home at 4:10, start homework at 4:30, leave the house at 5 to allow Shine to get changed in private and to go food shopping. Most people would never let an 11 year old do their grocery shopping for them, especially without a list. For Sam it was natural and she found it easy, she got used to having a budget and knowing how long food would store before it would go off (they didn't have a fridge, they couldn't afford one.) She would be at home for 6 where she would give Shine the food, she always bought better food for Shine, not that Shine knew this. Then after Shine had gone to work she would eat her tea, usually bought from the reduced section in the supermarket, no point wasting money on herself. Sam would stay awake till 11, mainly reading and working or playing the guitar and writing songs. At 11 Shine would walk in, money in hand and moan at Sam for staying up too late while still smiling. She would quickly peel off her clothes and got onto her mattress. At this point they would talk, tell each other about their day until one of them, usually Sam fell asleep.

But one day Shine wasn't home by 11. Sam was curled up in the corner, wide awake, staring at the door. It was somewhere around 1, she couldn't sleep until Shine was home. She needed Shine. She knew she would be tired tomorrow, she knew her body needed sleep and she tried to get to sleep, she managed after 5 minutes. She was dreaming about the television at the old flat, the one she spend 7 years of her life watching. She was watching some kids show, she sighed and switched to the BBC 1. "The reports have confirmed that the body found last night belonged Shannay "Shine" Carter, aged 17. Shine was murdered on her way home from the nightclub that she sung at..." The News Reporter was interrupted by Sam waking up. She tried to stop crying but she couldn't, it had seemed so real.

Refusing to sleep again Sam started pacing backwards and forwards, not stopping, not until she heard the door rattling and a figure fell inside. In the doorway lay Shine, covered in blood, shivering and crying.

Shine never cried. Not when she got bitten by the big dog at the park. Not when their Mum had died. Not when Dad slapped her across the face for cheek. Not ever.

"What happened?" Sam cried, rushing to Shine's side.

"Nothing, I'm fine," she snapped, pulling herself to her feet.

"You're not fine though," Sam whispered through the tears.

"I just tripped over, leave me be and go back to bed," Shine yelled, Sam froze,

"but you're hurt Shine, what happened?" Sam never saw it coming, she just felt an agonising pain as Shine's hand collided with her cheek.

"Fuck off," Shine yelled running into the bathroom, Sam just chucked herself at the mattress and sobbed.

Sam woke the next morning at the 11, she had missed school but didn't care. Shine was gone, probably out busking. Sam grabbed her school bag, even though she wasn't going to school. She walked out of her room, it backed onto the garden and she went from their over the fence into the alley. She spent the day wandering the streets of Manchester, occasionally seeing people from her school, most surprised that a "geek" like her was bunking off. She returned at 4:10 (her usual time) and surprising Shine was there, singing to her iPod that Sam had bought last Christmas. Well Sam said bought, in reality she just did the guy, whose iPod it was, homework for a month.

Sam, unable to face Shine went to the bathroom, in the bin next to the toilet she noticed a large wad of toilet paper in it, and she was almost certain Shine wasn't on her period. When she looked closer she realised it was unused and under it was a stick – a pregnancy test.

A pregnancy test reading positive.

Shine's positive pregnancy test.

Sam continued her usual routine, vowing to ask Shine about the pregnancy the next day. Shine didn't mention the events of the previous night, so Sam didn't mention them either.

Shine returned that night a few minutes late, nothing unusual. She grinned at the money, sung a silly song, put on her iPod and pulled Sam up to dance. They just jumped and spun around a bit, they both were giggling, happy but when Shine looked away Sam would stare at her, noticing for the first time the dark circles under her eyes, barely visible under the thick makeup. How the smile on her face didn't quite reach her eyes, she looked older. A lot older. She didn't look 17.

When they were both exhausted Shine went into the bathroom to get changed, something that never used to happen. She never had a problem with getting changed in front of Sam, but then again Sam could guess why.

Shine slipped into bed, wearing a baggy sweatshirt and leggings, something she never wore, especially not in summer.

They slipped into their usual chat, Sam made up some rubbish about her day at school and Shine listened. After she had finished her story they fell into silence, "Sammy," Shine whispered, Sam looked up, no one had used that nickname, not since her Mum had died, "you know that I love you," Shine whispered,  
"of course," Sam replied, "you're my big sister, how could I not love you?"

"Do you remember Mum?" Shine asked about a minute later,

"yeah, not much. My first clear memory was when I asked her about cancer, we talked for a bit then we picked you up from school, it had only just started for the year, it was September. We went to the park, then Mum announced she had a picnic and we ate the food, we didn't like the crusts of the bread so she cut them off and we fed them to the ducks, there were 3 ducks, we called them Hubert, Gertrude and..."

"Fred," Shine said, cutting off Sam's sentence, "we went home after that and Mum announced that she was going to home school me. She knew she was dying, and wanted to spend as much time as possible with us."

They fell into silence, Sam remembered how every day their Mum had taken them somewhere new, then one day she woke them up particularly early one day, they got a plane to Italy, she never said why but she hired a car and they drove round Italy.

"Do you remember the sunflowers?" Sam asked Shine,

"how could I not remember? Mum drove us out into the countryside and every field was full of sunflowers. She drove for hours before we came to a small cottage, she knocked on the door but the wrong person answered the door. The person she was looking for was gone, moved away I reckon, didn't stop her from finding us a B&amp;B to stay in. We were there for two weeks, she knew the forests, she knew the fields, one nights she took us stargazing."

"I remember," Sam whispered, "then we were in the Sunflower fields..." the sisters stopped,

"she just collapsed, no warning," Shine said,

"you ran for help and I... I... I just sat there with her, for hours, then you arrived with the villagers, then the ambulance arrived, then the Police, then we were on the plane and Dad met us at the airport then we went to live with him."

We fell into silence, as Sam drifted off to sleep she could swear she hear Shine say, "Samantha Marcia, I am sorry and I will always love you."

When Sam awoke Shine was gone, it wasn't unusual behaviour and she thought nothing of it till at lunchtime at school she received a text from Shine.

_I'm Sorry xxx_

Before she had a chance to reply the bell went and she put her phone away. Anyway Shine was probably apologising for the other night.

Sam spent the lesson wondering what was going on, was Shine going to leave her for the Dad of the baby. Shine was nice but she would hardly want her little sister to be around 24/7. But if Shine was going to leave her what could she do? She needed Shine. She loved Shine.

Sam didn't want to wait for the truth for longer than necessary so sprinted home, only slowing down as she reached the gate, she smiled at the landlady who was watering the flowers. Sam wandered round to the back of the house, to their room.

She knocked on the door, she could see someone was home, but she didn't want to give Shine a shock. "Shine, I'm home," Sam yelled opening the door, and walked in.

She froze, "no." She whispered, "Shine, no. God. No. Shine." She couldn't move, she couldn't take her eyes away from her sister. "SHINE!" She screamed, in the background she heard the landlady walking round to the back, she knocked on the door.

"Samantha are you ok?" she asked from the outside, Sam just cried. The landlady opened the door and screamed, when she saw it. Not it. Her.

Sam stared up at the ceiling, the rope was suspended from a beam on the ceiling, the rope Shine was hanging from. She found herself crying, screaming and finally being carried out of the house by a policeman into a large van. That was the last day she ever spent in the Victorian house.

END OF FLASHBACK

"So I moved from care home to care home, at first I couldn't understand, then I was angry. I took my anger out on anything, I'm lucky I didn't end up with a criminal record. I was kicked out of my first care home for kicking my bedroom door down, another one I was kicked out of for smoking, it was a younger girl she offered me one in the bathroom and when a care worker walked in on us smoking the girl said that I had forced her to smoke. When I was 12 I knocked a boy's front teeth out after he insulted me, ran away a few times, got drunk and woke up in a ditch multiple times. I've lost count of all the homes I have been in. I've only been in 7 this year, I got help, hence why I've stayed here so long," Sam looked up, Arietta didn't say anything, just took Sam's hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

"I like it here but I'm left out, a bit of a loner."

"How come?" Arietta asked, speaking for the first time since Sam finished her story, "you are so nice and you are always with Tyler, Frank and Kitty."

"It's only cos Erin, Rick and Tee aren't here. Erin and Rick are the leaders and when I arrived, we were in a small group. Erin, Rick, Frank, Elektra, Johnny and me, then Elektra was in an accident and got sent to a specialist care home and Kitty joined. Kitty knew Rick from before and basically became best friends with Erin and she got together with Johnny and it ended up being Erin, Rick, Johnny and Kitty, sometimes with Frank, sometimes with Tee and Tyler but I just found myself being left out over and over again, unwanted."

"I want you here," Arietta told her, "you're different from them. In a good way though."

**Hello everyone, I'm sorry for lack of updates. Blame school and... life. You may recognise quite a lot of it from chapter 32 of Not Alone Anymore but I originally wrote that chapter and I just rewrote the bits Zebralover4578 wrote, so it is all mine. Which is nice. **

**Anyway please review if you enjoyed it, also feel free to read my other TBR/DG story Vodka, Bleach and £50 of Ready Meals**

**Wall xxx**


	5. Ari's Time To Shine

**Chapter 5/Chapter 33**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**To Linneagb you can use the name Shine for a character, and if the story is a Tracy Beaker Returns or Dumping Ground feel free to mention this story.**

**I may not write for awhile because I'm going on holiday but this chapter is really long to make up for it. I don't even know how it ended up being 4000 words long, it is crazy, it's over double the length of Arietta's past that I wrote for Not Alone Anymore. **

**Anyway I hope you enjoy the chapter. **

**Wall With A Fez**

As Arietta looked through Sam's photos, smiling at the picture of Sam with Shine and their Mum, all three of them shared the same blonde hair, but that was the biggest resemblance between them. Arietta realised that Sam was humming, she paused to listen to the song.

"What are you humming?" she asked Sam,

"a lullaby my mum used to play me, it was composed by Zhariatti or someone like that," Arietta stopped, her mind flicking through the thousand composers names she knew.

"Never heard of them," she replied after a moment,

"she used to play it on the violin, she was amazing at the violin. She was amazing at singing too, she was amazing at everything." Arietta stood up and walked over to her chest of drawers,

"is it bad that I wish it had been my Dad that died not my Mum?" Sam asked,

"no," Arietta replied instantly, "your Mum sounded brilliant, I wish I could have met her,"

"I wish you could have met her." Arietta pulled a large leather book out of the drawer and took it over to the bed.

"You've told me your story, now it's my turn," Arietta told Sam, opening the book to the first page. The first page was covered in golden Chinese symbols, "I was born on the 1st January 1999, I am currently 14 years old and my name was Daiyu Xifeng, I was the 14th child of my family."

"But what about the one child rule?"

"Not a rule, they can't force you to have one child it is seriously recommended and they will try and force you to abort a second child but my parents were living with the bloody fairies and last time I saw them they had just given birth to their 29th child," Arietta paused, remembering her family, so many siblings that she couldn't even remember all their names, all still living on the streets of Beijing or dead, well all except Bai.

"Whoa," Sam commented,

"I know right. Anyway when I was 2 my big sister Jing Yi, but later changed her name to Symphony, started to teach me the violin. Symphony was already 14 by this point and a professional violinist. From then violin became my passion and when I was 9 and Symphony was 21 we got the opportunity to leave China to perform our music." Arietta flipped the page of the book to show a photograph of her 9 year old self, who Sam presumed was Symphony and a guy – probably her brother outside a small grey house. "That's me, Symphony and my brother Bai, who was 18 on the day we left China. Bai came with us because... well he actually just came with us for no reason."

Sam turned the pages and saw pictures of London, "when we came to London we chose to rename ourselves, Jing Yi became Symphony, I became Arietta and Bai kept his name, but we all took the surname Rosenberg. After Willow. We performed on the streets of London and one day we got lucky and got recommended for an Orchestra, Symphony became head violinist of the full orchestra and I became head violinist of the youth orchestra. It was a really good youth orchestra; we were basically the same standard as the orchestra for adults. Anyway we travelled the world while Bai stayed in England," Sam flipped the pages: New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Oslo, Copenhagen, Prague, Taiwan, Mexico City, Moscow, Berlin, Sydney, Toronto. So many different cities.

"You've travelled the world," Sam exclaimed, Arietta nodded, "that's amazing," Arietta nodded.

"Everything was perfect for me, I was happy, I had it all, I fitted in then... BAMM! I've lost it all."

"How come?"

"In late 2011 Symphony decided that it would be best for us to settle down in London, we bought a flat. A really good flat, a cool modern one with a balcony and roof access. Then a few days into 2012, about 2 weeks after I had turned 13 when suddenly our parents turned up on our doorstep with a family friend – Chao, he was 29, 4 years older than Symphony, and he was looking for a bride. My parents told Symphony that she was going to marry Chao, at first she argued but agreed eventually. Over the next few weeks we sorted out the wedding."

**FLASHBACK**

"I'm not marrying Chao," Symphony screamed, in Chinese, "you can't make me, England is a free country,"

"then we'll take you back to China," their Father growled, in Chinese obviously, he didn't speak English. Arietta meanwhile had hidden herself under the sink, it was surprisingly roomy despite her never ending growth spurt, Ari had never gotten on with her parents. She had always been a bit too strong willed for their liking and unlike her more submissive siblings had only gotten more rebellious with each slap. Arietta had been 4 at the time, and had refused to scavenge through a rubbish dump. 13 year old Arietta was even more strong willed but still preferred to avoid conflict, though she sprung out of the cupboard when she heard the crash.

She saw Symphony was on the floor, sobbing, while their Father was standing over her.

"Stop," Arietta yelled,

"Daiyu?" her Mother questioned, Ari simply nodded in response. Her Father simply grinned,

"shit," Symphony swore, in English,

"oh," Arietta realised what she had done, she had just given her parents prefect blackmail material and next thing she knew was that she was up against the wall with a knife at her throat.

"Jing Yi marry Chao or your sister will suffer,"

"drop the knife," Symphony whispered, "and I'll marry Chao," her Father grinned, dropped the knife on the floor and pulled his eldest daughter into a hug. Then their Mother let Chao into the flat who proposed to Symphony, who accepted monotonously, when he tried to kiss her she pulled away and told him to wait till after the wedding.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Arietta flipped to the next page, over the next pages where hundreds of pictures of Arietta and Symphony posing in numerous wedding dresses, pulling ridiculous faces.

"Symphony decided on a white dress while I chose purple," Arietta whispered,

"you two look so alike," Sam commented,

"I know," Arietta replied, sighing.

"So what happened?" Sam asked.

**FLASHBACK**

The hen night had been a laugh, it was mainly people from the orchestra and consisted of the usual crazy hen night behaviour. On the actual night before the wedding it had just been Ari and Symphony, curled up on the sofa.

"What is going to happen to me?" Ari asked, Symphony sighed,

"Chao and I are going to live here," she whispered, "and you are being taken back to Beijing."  
"What?! No?! This is my home, I can't just leave, this is my life."

"I know Ari, I really know, but you can get out of Beijing, you may have to wait till your an adult but you can do it. There is only one wait of this marriage and I'll tell you now, the solution isn't a plane."

"What is it?" Arietta asked naively,

"when you leave Beijing, promise me something," Symphony said, avoiding the question.

"anything,"

"take as many as our siblings as you can with you, don't make them suffer that life," Ari nodded in response, "good girl."

The silence between them was comfortable, never awkward, nothing could ever be awkward between them.

"I love you Arietta Tara Rosenberg, never forget that,"

"how could I ever forget?" the younger girl asked, "anyway this isn't the end, when I'm 18 I'll rescue you from Chao," Symphony smiled sadly,

"I wish,"

"have some faith Symphony."

"You should get to bed, I will not have a tired bridesmaid," Arietta groaned and pulled herself off the sofa and trudged to the bathroom.

Arietta came into her bedroom to find Symphony sitting on her bed, "come to sing me to sleep?" Ari asked grinning, chucking her dressing gown onto the floor.

"Something like that," she replied, standing to allow her younger sister to wriggle into the bed. Ari curled up her legs allowing Symphony to sit back down.

"Do you remember that duet we used to sing?" Symphony asked,

"my sister?" Ari asked, Symphony nodded, they looked at each other before entering into the lullaby that hadn't been sung for years.

_Sister, my sister, lay down your sweet head,_

_Sister, my sister, it time for your bed,_

_First they'll be darkness, then there'll be light_

_It's time for me sister, to kiss you goodnight._

_Sister, my sister, into the light I go,_

_Sister, my sister, in the darkness alone._

_The path won't be easy, but you'll find your way._

_Sister, my sister, I can't wait for the day._

_Together we rise and together we fall,_

_And by the morn, I'll mean nothing at all._

_I love you my sister, don't forget that I pray,_

_This day that we're living, is not the last day._

_I will see you soon, all dressed in white,_

_And I will be with you, all through the night._

Symphony stood, tears in her eyes and walked from the room, she flicked the light off and closed the door, leaving Arietta alone in the dark.

Xxx

For Arietta a sleepless night ensued, her sister had left on a bad note, no goodnight, she just walked out. Arietta did consider going to see if Symphony was all right but decided against it, she knew what was wrong.

It wasn't until the morning that she left her bed, "so how's the beautiful bride," she yelled, outside of Symphony's room when there was no reply she cautiously opened the door but when she saw no one she just walked straight in to see...

the dress, layers of silk and chiffon splayed out beautifully in the morning light. Dangling from the ceiling, with the owner inside them.

Arietta didn't scream or shout or cry, she simply tiptoed round to see Symphony's face. She raised her hand to stroke the cold face,

"I hope you find your happiness in the light, but for now I'll keep searching in the dark."

**END OF FLASHBACK**

"She hung herself," Sam whispered seeing the parallels between their life, Arietta nodded, "and you just... accepted it."

"There was always an unspoken pact between Symphony and I, we didn't talk about sexuality or label each other. Symphony always knew I was a lesbian and I always knew she was a lesbian and I knew she would never follow marriage with a man through, I always knew her "way out" was suicide, anyway when she died she was at peace, she was escaping the darkness."

"Do you believe in heaven?" Sam asked,

"not necessarily but I believe that somewhere up there, there is light and I believe that Symphony and Mia are waiting for me there, I also believe that Shine and your Mum are there too."

"Mia?"

"I'm coming to her," Arietta said, blinking back tears.

"My parents took me back to China, Chao still wanted a bride but thankfully women have to be 20 to marry in China so instead I just became his possession. He was able to use me how he liked," Ari sighed, "he was the first man to rape me,"

"first?"

"I was bad, I ran away, came out, my parents put me into conversion therapy to try and "cure" me, but for some reason being tortured didn't change my sexuality. I had been living with Chao for about a month at this point, about a week later when he tried to rape me I fought back – broke his arm and he decided that the best thing to do with me was... sell me,"

"sell you?!"

"yeah, sell me, as a sex slave. To an American Gang, I don't know what type of gang, all I know is that it was horrible."

**FLASHBACK**

Arietta fell to the ground but before she had to regain her senses she was pulled back up and being pushed against the wall by some man, just another man.

She had been in this place for less than an hour, she was in pain and just wanted to escape but instead found herself being pushed from man to man, each taking what they pleased before pushing her to the ground, to another man.

Even when some man knocked her out it hadn't stopped, they just continued, they kept going for hours and when they were finally done Arietta had been thrown into a cell, only about 2 metres by 2 metres. No one thought to give her clothes, or even a blanket.

By the day she was a servant, forced to clean at gunpoint and when the supervisor got bored he would drop the apple core he was eating onto the floor and as Arietta went to pick it up, he would force himself into her mouth and she would have to please him, at gunpoint.

By the night she was a game, passed from man to man till they were all satisfied, some nights the men would find her body would refuse to work for them, so they would beat her, beat her till she was an inch from death. Then they would leave her in the cell for the day before taking her bludgeoned body and using it for its usual purpose.

When she had first been brought to the camp she would cry of pain and embarrassment as she was raped, after a while she gave up caring. To her it meant nothing at all, she grew detached from the world. From the harsh words, the desires of the men, the pain, she became a shell then something pulled her back.

Mia.

The firmer skin of her stomach, the life growing underneath it brought hope. It let Arietta believe in the light, she thought of nothing but her baby, she was obsessed. She her free days thinking of names, well the only name she knew she would choose.

Mia.

Mia Hope Rosenberg.

The light in the world.

The light in her world.

She dreamed of what she would look like; tall but some what lanky as a child, with her black hair plaited and wearing a blue checked dress and growing up to be tall, slender and stunning just like her Mother.

In her head, Mia had none of her Father's attributes, just Arietta's.

Xxx

It had happened at 8 months, the guards knew that their "whore" was pregnant and decided to change that, they wrestled her to the floor and started beating her, kicking her in the stomach before chucking her into her cell.

There was blood, too much blood, "Mia, Mia please hold on," Arietta whispered, the pain was increasing and only later she realised it was contractions.

Arietta had no idea what to do but her body apparently did, making her push when the time was right.

She had no idea how long labour had lasted, to her it felt like it had been hours.

With one final push Ari knew she had done it, she collapsed against the wall for a few seconds regaining her breath. Then she realised she was still in the dark, the new coming hadn't brought the light she believed it would, she also hadn't cried.

Arietta crawled to the mass on the floor, she picked it up, she picked her up; Mia, Mia Hope Rosenberg.

Never going to grow up.

Her skin was tinged a blue sort of colour, her lips were blue, probably due to lack of oxygen.

"Mia," Ari whispered, "come on Mia cry, please cry, please baby... oh god," she broke down into sobs.

A few hours later guards came, they took Mia but Arietta's maternal side took over, she kicked and punched, screamed and scratched.

She ran, she escaped the building, she managed to get over the electric fence, she ran and ran. She knew the men were following her but that didn't stop her, they had killed her Hope, they couldn't do worse.

She sprinted through the woods, her body was out of practice but that wasn't going to stop her. Exhaustion, was another case, her body had already miscarried, given birth and been force to sprint for a huge distance. Meanwhile Arietta was dehydrated and starving so it was hardly surprising when she collapsed, and it was even less surprisingly when she woke up in her cell.

What was surprising was the guards, they let her sit with them for dinner, which was a meal of Arietta's choice. Not that she ate it anyway.

Then she was taken outside, the men handed her a shovel, "dig," they commanded, guns trained on her, "6 foot by 2 foot and 6 foot down,"

"what is the hole for?" Arietta whispered, her throat raw from crying and screaming,

"you," one guard snarled, "it's your grave."

Arietta dug for hours, even though she was exhausted she still continued and as the sun rose, to signify a new day she finished the grave.

She didn't feel scared. She felt at peace.

The men took her inside, they met her wash herself. They gave a white dress, which she put on and then she was led back outside.

At the foot of the grave was a post, she was tied tightly to it and blindfolded.

She felt the guns at her head, she felt calmer than ever before.

Then she heard the gun fire.

The darkness of the blindfold turned to white, in the whiteness was a figure. Arietta walked forward,

"hello Arietta," Symphony whispered, that's when Arietta noticed Symphony was holding a bundle, a moving, gurgling bundle. "Come say hello to Mia, she's been demanding her Mummy," Arietta ran forward, then she was falling.

She heard laughter, her hands were free, she used them to pull off the blindfold. She was lying in the grave, she pulled herself upwards and found the men laughing at her confusion. Her body ached and she couldn't pull herself out of the grave.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

"Then there was the rain, it went on for hours and I couldn't escape, I was trapped in a hole as it filled up, it was cold, I was hurt, I had nothing left to live for but I still wanted to survive. Mia may have gone but she had left a tiny glimmer of hope," Arietta looked up, both girls were crying, but they knew that wasn't the end of the story. "Do you want to know more?" the Chinese girl asked, Sam nodded, squeezing Ari's hand.

"I stopped speaking, I stopped crying, I stopped reacting. They wanted a reaction, so went to even greater extremes than before. They drained Mia of her blood, then taunted me with it and when I didn't react they made me drink it."

"Is that why your vegetarian?" Sam asked, Ari nodded,

"I can't eat meat, my body can no longer cope with it, I tried to eat it a couple of months ago but I just found myself being sick for hours after the meal. Even when there was nothing left to throw up."

"Is that why you refused to talk when Kitty questioned your reasoning as a vegetarian?" Sam asked, Arietta nodded. "How did you escape?"

**FLASHBACK**

Arietta traced the scars on her body, they ran up and down her main torso. For some reason they tended to leave her arms, legs and face – not that she was complaining. Suddenly she heard gunshots, she backed into the corner of the cell. She heard footsteps coming closer, there was a shine of light coming through the bottom of the heavy steel door. It didn't sound like the usual men, they usually charged in, they usually made a lot of noise.

She heard someone banging on the door, "it's locked," she heard an unfamiliar male voice say,

"they must be hiding something pretty precious in there," another man said.

"Is anyone in there?" a third man asked, Arietta paused for a second before summoning the voice that had been silenced for months.

"I'm in here!"

"A woman!" she heard someone exclaim,

"Stand back, we're coming in," they replied,

"I'm back," she replied, her voice quavering.

A few seconds later the banging started and after a minute the door finally gave in, she tried to stand but fell back to the floor, body trembling. A strong beam of light, illuminated the room, it was a lot brighter than the dim yellow light she was used to.

"A child!" she heard a man exclaim, he was uniformed, a policeman, Ari cowered away. Another man stepped closer, she flattened herself against the wall, heartbeat racing, vision distorting, reality blurring.

"Get Vanessa," she heard one of the men whisper, all three men retreated, their hushed talking letting Ari know that they were still there.

482 seconds later a woman greeted the men,

"what is the situation?" she asked,

"young girl, no clothes, evidently very injured,"

"terrified of men," another man added,

"do you think..." she trailed off,

"yes," a man replied.

A moment later the woman "Vanessa" appeared,

"hello, I'm Vanessa," she said softly, "I've got a towel," she looked to Ari, then placed it on the floor in the girls reach. Ari snatched the towel up, hiding herself under it. "We're going to get you ambulance, we are here to help you," she turned to walk away,

"stay," Arietta whispered, Vanessa turned and that was what she did.

She held Arietta's hand as they drove her to the nearest hospital, she sat at her bedside, on the flight to England from Australia, at the questioning in London, to the specialist care home.

She took her to a country of safety.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

"What happened?" Sam asked,  
"they brought me back to England, I was made an official British Citizen, I am now legally known as Arietta Rosenberg. I spent the first month in hospital, then I was put in a specialist care home but I was deemed fit to leave last week. I know I'm not fit for the mainstream care system," she told Sam honestly, looking her straight in the eye.

"But places in specialist care homes are in high demand and I am very good at faking happiness, scarily good. Long as I am assessed on a good day then it is believable that I'm fine,"

"what about a bad day?" Sam asked,  
"then anyone can see that I need help. But I'm on medication, it helps a bit but sometimes I have flashbacks. Strong ones. Really bad ones, earlier today when Kitty laughed at me, at my past she reminded me of a guard and it triggered a flashback. I only came out of the flashback when you knocked on the door,"

"that was over an hour after you left!" Sam exclaimed,

"flashbacks can last a few seconds to a few hours," Arietta replied, monotonously. "Is it ok if you go now?" she asked, Sam nodded. Though about ten minutes later Arietta discovered a violin case outside her room.

_Dear Arietta,_

_I think this violin deserves a new owner; after all it has been 10 years..._

_Sam xxx_

Xxx

Sam didn't sleep, she never did, not on the day her Mother died. She curled up on her bed and cried, remembering her Mother and Shine but her thoughts kept shifting, shifting to the Chinese girl in the room next door.

She walked to the window, looking at the stars usually helped. After all her Mother had taught her all the names before she died, she stared at the moon, it shone down, seemingly brighter than ever before.

A light in the darkness.

Hope.

She looked across and noticed Arietta's window was open, then she saw the figure on the drive. A figure with a violin.

Arietta raised the violin and burst into the melody, the lullaby that Sam's mother used to play.

The two girls were lost in the music, but they certainly weren't lost in the dark. After all the moon shining down illuminated the way forward and gave them something very important.

Hope.


	6. School (Not Church) Uniform

**Chapter 6**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Linneagb for reviewing**

**Thank you Quichebitch123 for adding to favourites**

"Where's my hair?" Was the words that woke the majority of the Dumping Ground, it was Sunday, last day of the holidays so most people were making the most of the lie in but still couldn't help but investigate.

Arietta had decided on having an early morning shower, deciding to get it out of the way while the others were sleeping. She had left her rainbow hair extensions outside the bathroom, but after showering she noticed that they had disappeared.

"Your hair?" Faith asked, Tyler sniggered,

"my hair extensions, you know, the rainbow ones," Ari yelled, unaware of the fact that she was only wearing a towel.

"Like the colourful string Mo found earlier?" Harry asked, Ari's face was a picture,

"what?" the onlookers were finding the situation hilarious, while Arietta obviously found it very distressing, she was scanning the crowd. Mo was absent.

"Which room is Mo's?" she asked,

"up the stairs, first on the left," Sam informed her, "but Ari, you might want to put some clothes on first."

Ari froze, looked down, blushed and awkwardly hurried off to her own room.

Xxx

After breakfast Sam went out into the garden and it wasn't hard to find Arietta, due to the beautiful violin melody cutting through the soft breeze of the autumn morning. Sam pulled herself up onto the wall as Arietta lowered her violin.

"Having fun with your violin?" Sam asked,

"yes," Ari replied, smiling at it, "thank you, just..." she couldn't think of words, "just... thank you."

"Might as well let you use it," Sam told her, "anyway I know you will look after, it's not like you're some little kid who's just passed their grade 1."

"I'm a bit rusty," Arietta admitted, I haven't properly played in about a year and a half.

"Sounded pretty good to me," Sam replied, "anyway Mike wants you, well us."

"What for?" the older girl asked hopping off the wall and following Sam to the Office.

"No... Elaine, Elaine don't be completely ridiculous," Mike pleaded down the phone, Sam knocked on the door, "Elaine I've got to go," he said putting down the phone, "come in."

"Sam says my presence is required," Arietta stated, manner of factly.

"oh yes, tomorrow you will be starting St Johns, you will need to get uniform,"

"I don't do church," she moaned,

"Ari, it's a school not a church," Sam explained,

"oh, school, that thing... do I have to go?"

"Yes," Mike told her firmly, "Sam could you take Arietta to the uniform shop, I can't take her because Gina is off and Tracy is late,"

"sure," Sam said,

"I don't have money," Ari stated, "well I do... but I don't want to waste it on school uniform," Mike went into a drawer and handed her a two pieces of paper.

"There's a cheque for the uniform, Gina has written done what you need to buy and the cheque will pay for it. Also," Mike looked around, as if checking for the other kids, suddenly he pressed two £10 notes into Sam's hand.

"Buy lunch," he told them, "we are having meat, and might as well do it while Ari isn't here to complain,"

"thanks Mike."

Xxx

"I can't ride a bike," Ari told Sam, examining the bashed up BMX, "and I'm wearing a skirt,"

"with tights,"

"beside the point,"

"well give the passers by a lovely sight," Sam replied, grinning,

"shut up," Ari replied, but she was grinning.

"Fine, you walk, I cycle."

They made their way down the street, they were making slow progress, Ari proved that she had a very short attention span, getting constantly distracted but pretty much everything.

"Postboxes are awesome," she stated,

"Ari that is the 3rd postbox you have analysed in the last 10 minutes,"

"yeah, they're cool." Sam shook her head in despair, but couldn't help but smile at Arietta's childish delight.

Was it childish delight?

Or was a façade. A mask to convince the world that she was slightly crazy, but happy, normal teenage girl.

Or perhaps to convince herself.

Sam looked again; she no longer saw the carefree girl dancing along the pavement, instead she saw a broken woman who had been through too much, running her hands along the park railings – and Sam blinked – Arietta laughed as she spun in a circle, her skirt flying out, the wind blowing through her hair.

"So how did the hair thing go with Mo?" Sam asked,

"he made it into a mobile, he offered to remove the hair but it would have been all gluey so instead I am just getting a super cool rainbow mobile for my room. Anyway I was getting bored of the hair it was a bit too..."

"baby-dykey?" Sam suggested,

"yeah, and it seems like the time in my life to grow up and be a grown up lesbian, and be vegan, and have L Word marathons, and adopt some cats and do everything else that lesbians do."

"Move in after the second date?" Sam suggested,

"fall in love with Bria and Chrissy, and Ellen, and Arielle. Arielle her name is like mine and we are both lesbians," Arietta fangirled,

"pillow talk?" Sam suggested,

"and Heather Peace."

"Enough said," Sam said, "Heather Peace is a bloody goddess,"

"so is Queen Latifah,"

"Queen Latifah's a lesbian?!" Sam asked incredulously,

"everyone thinks so, including me."

"So do you think..."

"Post box," Arietta yelled, sprinting off again. Sam cycled off in pursuit.

"Ari, what's the obsession with post boxes?" I asked,

"Mozart is possibly the best composer who has ever lived, if I he had lived longer he would almost certainly be considered the greatest, most people think he is the greatest, including Einstein," Arietta rambled, spewing out musical information.

"Ari, I asked you a question," Ari sighed, looking Sam straight in the eye.

"England is the country I call home, the postboxes remind that I'm here, I have never seen them anywhere else in the world and seeing them reminds me that I'm at home and that I'm safe," Arietta whispered.

"Anyway what were you saying about cycling?"

Xxx

"Which of these disgusting outfits is our school uniform?" Arietta asked peering around the shop in disgust,

"that one," Sam told her, pointing at a black blazer, black jumper with the school logo, a white shirt, a black skirt and a black ties. "Apart from the girls don't have to wear ties,"

"but let me guess, you do?"

"yep," Sam replied grinning,

"you are so predictable," she replied, grabbing the uniform, "changing rooms?" Sam smiled and pointed her in the direction.

Xxx

"I'll take these please," Ari told the shop assistant, "and just out of interest have you seen my friend? Tall, blonde..."

"Sam?" he asked,

"yeah," she replied slightly surprised,

"she's down the stairs, third door on the right."

Arietta collected her uniform and made her way down the stairs, she was stunned to find Sam chatting and drinking tea with a group of elderly ladies.

"Oh hello you must be Samantha's friend Arietta," one of the ladies gushed, "it's lovely to meet you."

"Yeah, hello,"

"Sit down, sit down, do you want some cake?"

"And I'm making a pot, do you want to a cuppa?"

"Um... yes please," Arietta replied, sitting down,

"Samantha was right, you are a very pretty girl," another woman told her,

"er... thanks,"

"so I hear you play the violin,"

"do you take sugar,"

"did you knit your jumper?"

"what does that ring symbolise?"

"Easy on the questions," Sam told the group, Ari suddenly realised how hot and flustered she had become.

"Yes I play the violin, one sugar please, I didn't knit my jumper, I don't know how to. This is an Amity ring, it's a group of people from a book, they believe in peace, like myself so I bought the ring."

She found herself being handed the tea, drinking it, eating the rather nice carrot cake and chatting to a woman called Joan.

"It has been lovely seeing you but Arietta and I really need to get going," Sam told them after about an hour. Goodbyes were made and the two teens left the shop.

"What? How? I..." Ari asked, rather stunned by everything,

"when I came to get my uniform I helped them put up the shelves they were struggling with, I have ended up visiting a few times since them, just to help out, or chat. Anyway it's not like I had any proper friends in the Dumping Ground before you, and it's nice to sometimes meet different people, even if they are all pensioners."

"I think it's sweet, you are so butch on the outside, with your baggy jeans, trainers, hoodies etcetera, riding your BMX, playing sports and being good at DIY but you are just a total softie inside, admit Samantha."

"Wasn't always," she suddenly replied, "after Shine... after Shine died, I was put straight into care and I felt that she had abandoned me just when I needed her the most. I blamed her, I was angry and I hurt, everyday was hard and I found myself taking it out on other people. I become controlling and power hungry, I loved the buzz I got from beating someone up, being in control. Being able to know that there life was in my hands and I could do what I liked with it. I loved the feeling of holding the knife, running it up and down their body, feeling their fear. I'm not going to pretend that I'm a good person Ari,"

"you weren't a good person, you are now," she whispered.

"My life became pointless, I was bunking off school, walking the streets beating up kids, my age, younger, older for money. Didn't even use the money, if it was coins I would drop down the drain and if it was notes I would burn, in their face and drop the burning paper to the ground and walk away. To me it was just a game, a power play. Every other week I was in a new home; too violent, too dangerous, too broken. They decided a kinder approach and started sending me to foster homes, of course that didn't work. I got kicked out, I got sent back to children's homes. Then I ran away, the first few times I was found within 24 hours, after that I got more experienced. It was on the streets everything changed, I was wandering the town when I heard a scream, I ran to find a teenager about to attack an elderly lady. I felt sick. She had a walking stick to help her walk, she was injured, upset, scared and he was going to hurt her. I knew that was wrong, it was disgusting. Then I realised that she had the same look as everyone else, everyone I had hurt in the last 2 years, picking on people my own age didn't make it better. I knew what I was doing was wrong and I punched the guy, I reckon I broke his nose but he cleared pretty sharpish. Then I broke down, 2 years of shutting everything out then suddenly the flood barriers burst and I just had to cry. I told her my story, she listened, then she told me her story and I listened. That night I returned to the care home and asked for a fresh start. About a month later I moved to Elmtree," Sam looked up, "you're the only person who I've told that much to," she whispered,

"you know more about me than any living person," Ari replied, "and I meant to ask, "Samantha was right, you are a very pretty girl?"" Sam blushed,

"I told them I was here with a friend and may have mentioned the fact that your pretty, or rather your jumper is,"

"it seemed appropriate, it was the closest item of clothing, that I own, to sunflower yellow."

"Thank you and the last night, the lullaby it was..."

"POST BOX!"

Xxx

"Catch," Sam yelled, Ari ducked, missing the ball completely.

"I couldn't catch a ball if my life depended on it, I hate balls," Arietta yelled, Sam stood, arms crossed, trying to hide her amusement.

"Maybe if you tried," she replied,

"no, no, no, no, no,"

"Ari, remember who gave you the violin,"

"Sam that isn't fair," she complained,

"yes it is, anyway you better learn because I am not lying you will be forced to audition for the basketball squad, so you might as well practise."

Arietta reluctantly started practising.

Xxx

"Looking forward to school?" Sam asked,

"nope," Arietta replied cheerfully, "but hey I only one thing left to lose,"

"and that is?" Sam asked,  
"my best friend."

**Awh Sarietta fluffy friendship, anyway please review and yeah xxx**


	7. Miss Reynolds, Robbie and Scars

**Chapter 7**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

Bleary eyed, Sam blundered to the bathroom. She didn't even think to knock, after all the bathroom light was always on because Kitty was afraid of the dark. She walked in,

"Sam!" Arietta exclaimed,

"oh, err... sorry," Sam said, suddenly becoming alert. "Um... what are you doing? It's two in the morning."

"Oh, just examining my scars," Ari replied,

"so there is a good reason that you are standing in the bathroom in just your underwear," Sam stated,

"and you're here because?" Arietta asked, confused.

"Why do you think I would be going to the bathroom at two in the morning?" Sam asked sarcastically,  
"to have a wank?" she guessed,

"to take a piss," Sam replied,

"oh, ok, go ahead, the floor is yours. Well don't piss on the floor, that would be disgusting, please urinate in the urination station aka the toilet," Arietta rambled.

"Are you going to leave?" the blonde asked,

"guessing it isn't socially acceptable to stay in the bathroom while your closest friend goes to the toilet,"

"not really,"

"ok, pass me my t-shirt, I'll be outside."

Sam picked up the t-shirt, "Hufflepuff," she said looking at the picture.

"yep, my house," Ari told her grinning and pulling it on.

Xxx

"You can come back in," Sam told Ari, the Chinese girl re-entered, pulling off her top and standing in front of the mirror, looking at her reflection.

"You can stay if you want," Ari piped up, "but you can also go." Sam pushed the door closed,

"how often do you do this?"

"whenever I can't sleep, in ways I try to forget what happened but I know I never will be able to do, so I look at my scars, remember where I was, how it was back them and remember that I am now a stronger, better person because of them. Trying to block out the past won't help, it is better to come to terms with it and become a stronger person. Many people make think they are ugly but..." she fell into silence.

Sam stood in silence and examined Ari, the scars were weaved up and down her torso. Most were healed up, just red marks, comparable to red marks on your legs when you've been sitting in one position for too long.

"Do they hurt?" Sam whispered,

"not really," Ari replied, "I'm lucky they decided to just attack my main body, it would look worse if they were on my arms or my face. Well there is one on my left cheek..." Sam scooted round to see it, it took a few seconds to see it but it was there, but mostly healed. "My back is the worst." 

The scars were the most prominent, long marks across her back.

"They whipped me," Ari explained, Sam raised her hand, running her long fingers across the warped skin. Down Arietta's back, she heard Ari breathing change then she realised how intimate the gesture was.

"Ari, I'm sorry," Sam said, stepping back quite quickly. Ari spun round and to Sam's relief (and surprise) she was smiling.

"Don't worry it was actually quite nice, and that sort thing doesn't trigger flashbacks. The guards wanted fast and hard, not soft and caring, they liked taking"

"What did you expect Arietta? They were men," Sam joked,

"fair dos," she replied, grinning.

"We should go back to bed," Sam replied,

"was that an invitation?" Ari asked, Sam caught her own face in the mirror – surprised and blushing furiously.

"Would love to," Sam stuttered, "but we have school tomorrow and I need my beauty sleep," she was nearly out the door.  
"Sam," Ari said, the blonde turned, "I'm not gonna lie, you would still look pretty hot without your beauty sleep."

Xxx

"What do you need for school?" Arietta asked herself out loud, "pens I guess, maybe a pencil, manuscript paper, normal paper, pencil sharpener, um... a rubber, but not an American rubber cos they are condoms and I won't need condoms because..."

"do you just keep talking?" Sam asked, making Ari jump,

"what do I need for school?" Ari questioned, obviously stressed,

"pencil case, with pens, pencils, rubber,"  
"but not condom,"

"but not condom, pencil sharpener, ruler, protractor, compass – the ones for drawing not for telling North."

"I haven't got any of that stuff, I don't even have a pencil case and I'm going to be late and..."  
"Ari," Sam said sternly, "get yourself dressed, I'll sort everything out."

"Thanks," she said, grabbing her uniform and heading to the door, "by the way, Sam, loving the tie."

Xxx

"What do you think?" Ari asked twirling for Sam, modelling her new school uniform.

"You manage to make school uniform look good with going slutty," Sam replied,  
"I just have great legs, probably the only advantage of 5'10 and a half."

"I have packed you a pencil case, I have also put a notebook in and I chose this rucksack, is that ok?" Sam asked,

"it's much more than ok, it is brilliant, thank you and what about lunch?"  
"Oh yeah, we get free school dinner cos we're care kids," Sam explained.

Xxx

"You must be Arietta," Miss Burton, the headteacher, said, shaking her hand, not intimidated by the fact that the 14 year old was 8 inches taller than her.

"Yes Miss," Ari replied,

"I do want to talk to you but that can wait till you're settled in,"

"ok,"

"and Sam I wanted to congratulate you, and of course the team, in the winning of the basketball tournament before half term,"

"thanks Miss, we are lucky to have such a good team,"  
"and they are lucky to have such a great leader,"

"you're the Captain?" Ari asked,

"yep," Sam replied, pointing to her badge: Sports Captain.

"Anyway you girls should be getting off to class, oh Arietta here's your timetable."

She picked it up: Arietta Rosenberg 10BR.

Sam plucked it out of her hands,

"what?!"

"What is it?" Ari asked, panicked (again),

"you're not in my form, you're in BR with Erin and Rick,"

"who aren't here, so I'm facing a new class alone,"

"we're in some other classes though."

Xxx

"Sorry, I gotta go," Sam apologized, "this is my class, yours is round the corner, fourth door on the left. Good luck."

"Right," Arietta muttered, "alone again, oh well I'll live and I'm talking to myself again."

She walked to the door of the classroom, on it was a placard: B Reynolds.

She paused before knocking on the door,

"come in," a teacher called, Ari took a deep breath before walking in.

"Hello, I'm Arietta, I'm new, I believe this is my class," she said,

"why are you late, _Arietta,_" the woman growled, putting emphasis on her name, obviously thinking it was a stupid name.

"I was at the office, Miss," she said politely, "talking to Miss Burton."

Ari took a deep breath, examining her teacher, her dress sense was laughable but that seemed about it.

"Have you seen Erin Walker and Rick Barber?" she asked rolling her R's, "I was led to believe that you are from the same orphanage,"

"the correct word is children's home not orphanage, orphanage implies that I'm parentless and I have parents just they are useless and can't speak a word of English. Also I have never met Erin Walker and Rick Barber, they ran away about two days before I arrived, now can I sit down?"

"Sit there," she commanded, pointing at a seat next to a boy with black spiky hair and dark skin – probably the type of guy Jason and Matty would find attractive.

"Now class, I am going to the office to talk to the head teacher about those bloody care kids."

Miss Reynolds stormed out of the classroom,

"well she looks like a bundle of fun," Ari commented sarcastically, a couple of people laughed,

"you got that right."

"Did Erin and Rick really run away?" one girl asked,

"yeah, they ran after another care kid, Tee, I think she was in year 8," Arietta told them, then she realised the guy next to her was staring at her.

"Hey, I'm Robbie, you're pretty fit, shame you live in that flea pit or I would have had you."

"Luckily for me I do live "in that flea pit," I would hate to be your girlfriend. You've spoken to me once and I already know you're a bigot and extremely chauvinistic, girls have feelings and you shouldn't judge them by where they live. Girls aren't one dimension sex dolls, they have feelings, dreams, opinions and aren't there for men's entertainment and pleasure,"

"you're only saying that cause you want me but I'm out of your league,"

"I couldn't care less about you, I wouldn't fuck you, even if you were the last man on Earth, or even the last person. Even if I was sexually attracted to bigoted, chauvinistic boys I wouldn't want you."

"You wouldn't turn this down," Robbie told her, "I wouldn't let you."

"So you would rape me, for your pleasure, against my will,"

"baby, it wouldn't be rape, you would want it, you would enjoy it, I would blow you mind."

"You're so good that they I would enjoy being raped by you?!" She stated, "wow I've never met such a big headed, bigoted, sexist, chauvinistic and a sick bastard."

"You would beg me to come on your face,"

"I'm smart and sarcastic, not fucking plastic. I don't want you to come on my face, I don't want any guy to ever come on my face. Men can't just do what they like with me,"

"I pity the man that marries you, you argumentative whore,"

"fortunately for me I won't marry a man,"

"well that's a waste of woman, that's one guy in the world who will have do his own cleaning and cooking,"

"girls aren't whores to do your household chores."

"What's the point in women?"  
"Well put it this way without a woman we wouldn't have to listen to your chauvinistic ideology, I honestly feel sorry for your Mum, your Dad must have treated her so badly if this is what you grew up believing."  
"Don't bring my family into this," he spat, "it's none of your business."

The bell rang, people started moving for their first lesson. Everyone started moving, everyone except Robbie, at the end it was just him and Arietta.

"Robbie," she said quietly,

"shut up," he yelled, his eyes met hers, he was crying, "piss off you stupid care kid."

He then turned and ran from the room.

**Hopefully I will upload in the next few days, please review etc and see you then xxx**


	8. Layers

**Chapter 8**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

_**The mini flashbacks will be italics and separated by Xxx**_

_**Also I have decided to make Faith year 11 because it will make it work better**_

Arietta took a deep breath and sprinted after him, she lost him quickly but didn't give up, after about 20 minutes she found Robbie.

"I told you to piss off," he growled,  
"well I don't follow men's orders," she replied sitting down under the tree, next to him.

"I hate women, I asked you to leave me alone yet you still come back to mock me."

"I'm here to mock you,"

"I'm not here to mock you," Arietta told him, "I came to see if you were ok and apologize for bringing your family into our... conversation."  
"Yeah right, you're all the same, always lie and make a fool out of us."

"Is that why you believe women are below men?"

He sighed, "no, that's what my Dad said. He always took everything on Mum and my big sister, he hated women. My sister ran away to university last September, haven't seen her for over a year. If I was her I wouldn't come back."

"But if you hate how your Dad acts, why do you act the same way?"

"Because I... I... I don't know, I enjoy it, I love the feeling of power, control. Why do I enjoy it? What the fuck is wrong with me, I'm should be locked up, I..."

"need to be quiet for a second," Arietta told him, "You don't need to be locked up, there are people a lot more worthy of jail, people who are really evil but have managed to escape the Police."

"Who?" Robbie asked,

"people who had no issues with raping a child and holding her prisoner for over a year," Arietta spat,

"who was the kid?" Robbie asked, "was she ok?"  
"Look at her and make that judgement for yourself," Ari replied,

"you?!" he whispered, "not ok. Broken. Hiding her pain behind a mask."

"And you know this because?"

"People have layers, most people know the outer layer of me, the bullying one, the leader, the boss. One the inside I'm split, part of me wants to hurt others, to make them feel my pain."

Xxx

"_My pain is your pain," he growled, Ari backed up against the wall, she was still new, didn't know to shut up and be submissive. When the swift kicks to the ribs, the quick slap across the face were still unexpected. Ari was scared, but still tried to convince herself that it was temporary. That Chao would come back and she would do everything for him, cook for him, clean for him, give him everything he wanted. Being a wife wasn't as bad as this._

Xxx

"Another part is scared, upset, lonely, a child that just wants a hug. Doesn't spend every night unable to sleep because of the screaming match, going on downstairs. All night. Every night."

Xxx

"_No wonder Larah has ended up like this," he screamed, "when the only female role model she has is you, you stupid whore. If you learned to keep your mouth shut she would do the same but you open your mouth, so Larah does the same. She is ruining her education because of you, proves that women don't deserve an education because they waste blabbering on and on. When I was education meant something, you women waste it, you don't deserve an education and you don't deserve to be equal to men."_

_Robbie, aged 4, burrowed his head in his pillow, he didn't want to hear it. His door creaked open, he looked up to see his 10 year old sister, Larah, in the door way. _

"_Robbie, are you ok?" Larah asked, he looked her up and down, then said the words that would shape his future self._

"_This is your fault, whore."_

Xxx

"Other parts of me worry, argue, want to love, want to be better,"  
"then be better," Ari told him simply,  
"it's not that easy, I have a reputation..."

"fuck your reputation, being a good person is more important than popularity."

"Well how do I become better?"

"drop the friends, the hatred of women,"

"I'm not gonna drop my friends, I don't want to end up Alone,"

"I was Alone, I'm not alone anymore, I have friends, well one friend, unless you would be willing to be friends with a girl from a "flea pit,""

"I suppose I could stoop to that level," he joked. "Anyway who's your other friend?"

"Sam, she's in year 10 and at Elmtree too."

"Oh the blonde who does every sport under the sun,"

"yep," Ari replied, "she wants me to join the basketball squad."

"Well you are certainly tall enough,"

"but that is about the only area in which I am suitable. I'm useless at sports and we probably should go back to class," Ari replied,

"there's only 20 minutes of lesson 1 left, not much point, we'll go for lesson 2," Robbie told her.

Arietta nodded and pulled out her timetable, "I'm missing Psychics at the moment,"

"Psychics!" Robbie exclaimed, "that's hilarious, I think you mean physics."

"What's the difference?"

"Psychics is like fortune telling and all that sort of stuff, physics is science, it is evil."

"Oh, that's rubbish," Arietta moaned, "I wanted to be a fortune teller."

"So what subjects did you choose to take?" Robbie asked,  
"music, geography, history and Chinese,"

"you are Chinese,"

"precisely, I'll get really good marks in it."

"That's ridiculous,"

"thank you."

Xxx

"Robbie Jacoby and I presume you must be Arietta Rosenberg," the teacher said as they walked into music, "please explain why you were marked as absent from lesson 1."

"I got very confused and Robbie was helping me get to grips with the school," Arietta lied.

"Fine," the teacher sighed, "my name is Miss Wilson, and I'm going to be your GCSE music teacher, do you play any instruments?"

"I play the violin, the piano, can play the drums, I mostly dabble in other instruments such as: guitar, ukulele,bass guitar, banjo, depends how I'm feeling. But my favourite part of music is probably producing and composing."

"Producing?"  
"Yeah my sister bought some software before she died and inherited it, I love creating, or recreating songs on it, it's brilliant, but then you would hope so considering how expensive it was."  
"Was your sister musical?"

"She was the head violin of a professional orchestra, she was professional, she was amazing. She was the one who taught me the basics of the violin then I carried on learning by myself and surprised everyone when I could play the Violin 1 part of Summer from Le Quattro Stagioni aka The Four Seasons."

"The proper Summer?"

"Opposed to what, a copy by some obscure 20th century composer?" Ari asked genuinely confused, "no, it was the real song."

"I meant like a simplified version," the teacher said but fell silent when Arietta sent her the most withering look she had ever been exposed to. "Um.. what grade are you up to?"

"I'm officially professional, have been for years,"

"yeah, right," some kids laughed.

"Are you into musicals?" the teacher asked,

"of course, musicals are amazing,"

"we are doing a school musical, you should audition, Erin Walker, who I believe lives in the same children's home as you, will be doing."

"When is the actual musical taking place?" Ari asked,

"summer term," Miss Wilson replied,

"I wouldn't thought Erin would be at school in the summer due to the pregnancy." 

Silence.

"Pregnancy?" Miss Wilson asked, stunned,

"oh fuck, you didn't know, shit. Don't tell anyone, please," Arietta begged, it was too late, various members of the clash were already tapping out the message to others.

"Ari," Robbie whispered, pulling the girl into a hug, who had started crying.

"I've messed everything up."

Xxx

"Ari," Sam sprinted to catch up with her friend and stopped, "and Robbie?" she said, confused, almost a question.  
"He isn't that bad, he's human," Arietta replied,

"he called Erin a slag,"

"it was justified,"  
"just because Erin's pregnant doesn't make her slag, I thought you of all people would know that. Shit, Robbie, if you mention that I will break you..."

"too late, Ari accidentally mentioned it in music, everyone knows," Robbie replied,

"anyway I never said Erin was a slag because she was pregnant, this is about Robbie not Erin," Ari told Sam,

"care to elaborate?" the blonde questioned,

"basically my Dad would always call my Mum stuff like that and I thought it was acceptable to treat girls like that but... but I changed but didn't want to have all my friends turn against,"

"and you've gone all Mr Nice Guy because a cute girl has turned up," Sam snapped,

"you think I'm cute?"

"that isn't it,"

"sure, sure, of course you're not a player who just wants to fuck her and leave her broken hearted."

"Sam..." Ari warned,

"it isn't like that," Robbie replied,

"sure it isn't," Sam said, sarcastically.

"Sam..."

"Sam, I know Arietta was raped, I know she's a lesbian, I'm not attracted to her, she's too much of a feminist, and she's too tall. I like girls to be smaller than me,"

"you told him about your past?!"

"we were having a heart to heart, part from I didn't tell him I was a lesbian,"

"it's pretty obvious," he told her, "your instagram is full of pictures from Pride and you used to wear rainbow hair extensions."

"The epitome of baby dyke," Sam said grinning, "ok, I'll give you a chance but if you hurt Arietta, then you'll have me to deal with."

"She's hot when she's protective," Robbie told Ari, "you two are such a cute couple."

"We're not a couple," both girls said together,

"sure you're not," Robbie replied.

Xxx

"E5," Sam said pausing, "Ari that's your class."

"Am I by myself for this?" Ari asked,

"yep," Robbie replied,

"see ya later."

"Arietta, hello, my name is Mr Priestly," the teacher, a young man, said grinning enthusiastically. "Don't worry I'm new too,"

"ok," Ari replied, slightly taken back by his over-the-topness.

"You will be writing me a letter about yourself, just so I can get to know you a bit better. Please sit here."

Ari sat down and stared at the blank piece of paper, she raised her pen, sighed and started writing.

_Deer Mr Preestly_

_My naym is Arietta, I am 14 years old, 15 in Janury. I am a care kid and I liv in Elmtree hous, I gess it is ok their, I hav a frend cooled Sam, she is relly awesum and she gav me her Mums old violin, her Mum dighed abowt 10 years ago and sed that I dezervd it (the violin not deaf). My over frend is cooled Robbie._

_Music is my lif and I luv playin the violin, my favrot cumposers are Mozart becos he is a geeneeus, pepul called me the re-in-car-nay-shun of Mozart wen I was little. Vivaldi is amazing to, I luv the "Le Quattro Stagioni," also nonn as the for seezons. Beethoven is also amayzing. _

_I hav lots of sisturs and bruvers, my favrot sibling was Symphony, she was my big sister and she tort me the violin. We wer best frends but she dyed in 2012. I mis her lods and I wish she was still alive._

_Arietta Rosenberg_

"Can I read?" Mr Priestley asked, Arietta nodded and handed him the sheet of paper. He read it through and again and...

"Mrs McKenzie can you keep an eye on the class, Ari can you come outside please."

Ari stood up confused but still followed him to the deserted English staff room, "take a seat," he said, she sat down. He looked at the sheet of paper,

"Arietta, have you ever been to school?" he asked,

"when I was little I went with Symphony to music college and when I was 12 I went to the Royal Academy Of Music but I have never been to a school like this."

"Where did you learn to write?"

"Well I know the English alphabet, so I write words how they sound," she told him, he looked back at the paper,

"that explains why you can spell composers' names and their works but not basic English," he sat down, "I guess this is going to completely change your school life."

"How come?"

"Arietta, nearly all your GCSEs will be written exams, you're a smart kid but if you can't write in proper English you will be looking at a maximum grade of C. You having a writing standard of someone 9 or 10 years younger than you, you're gonna to need a lot of extra help," Mr Priestley told her...

Arietta faked a smile and said she would do her best.

Xxx

"How was your first day?" Faith asked, as Arietta sat down on the minibus, Sam was at rounders practice so wasn't there.

"Ok," Ari replied, "bad," she admitted a second later, sitting down next to Faith.

"What went wrong?" Faith asked,

"According to my English teacher I have a writing standard of a 5 year old, he reckons there is no way I can get above C in my GCSEs, I've already been forced to drop an option to take extra English and I..."

Ari was interrupted by Kitty's arrival, "Mike," she yelled, "everyone knows about Erin."

"About what?" Mike asked, Ari paled,

"the pregnancy," she yelled, "someone in here has told people, and now Erin is being called a slut and such like."

"This is very serious, who told the school that Erin was pregnant," Mike said, Ari sighed before raising her hand.  
"I thought you would know better," Mike snapped,

"I never knew it was a secret," Ari retaliated, "everyone told me, I thought it was common knowledge, and... you didn't tell me it was a secret. I only told a teacher but other people overheard,"

"we will talk about this later."

Xxx

"How bad was it?" Faith asked when Arietta emerged from the Office,

"got off with a warning because I'm new but... but now even more people hate me,"

"I don't hate you," Faith told her, "you did the right thing by admitting to it. Anyway I was thinking. I could help you with reading if you want."

**So that's another chapter, Arietta has two new friends: Robbie and Faith, and probably more enemies.**

**Anyway I was considering writing another story: Alone In A Room Full Of People. **

**It would be set between Alone and Not Alone Anymore and it would be the story of Sam and Erin's first summer in the Dumping Ground.**

**If you think this is a good idea please tell me in a review.**

**Wall xxx**


	9. Arietta Marmite

**Chapter 9**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Rated T for Arietta and Kitty bitchy-ness**

"Faith," Ari said, "who are you closest with in the Dumping Ground?" Faith looked up in surprise,

"Well I'm the same age as Frank. You, Erin, Rick and Sam are the year below, Kitty and Johnny are year below that, and Tee and Tyler are year below that. So no one really,"

"doesn't that bother you?" Arietta asked,

"a bit, but I'm only here for a bit longer, anyway I have friends at school and I can go out running when I want to."

"Well, if you want my advice, I have a feeling that Frank feels a bit third wheel-ish so maybe he is the right place to start. Well it's up to you, of course, but... er... oh, I can't think of words. I will come back when have words to say," Arietta told her walking away.

Xxx

"How was rounders?" Arietta asked Sam, when she entered the lounge,

"yeah, it's going well, I reckon we're gonna thrash the team at the match next month," Sam told her, sitting down next to her, apart from the two of them the room was empty: Tyler was off setting up pranks while Johnny and Kitty were being all couple-y, Mo was in the kitchen up this elbows in glue, Harry was playing with Jeff and Ari hadn't seen Frank or Faith.

Sam looked down at the table, the newspaper was open at the advert section, "self-defence classes?" she asked,

"I was thinking it could help, if I was prepared, or even knew that I could protect myself if someone tried to attack me," Arietta told her,

"I reckon it's a good idea," Sam replied, "and I could go with you..."

"like you need self defence lessons,"

"there's a difference between be able to beat someone up and being able to protect yourself."

"Anyway I reckon I'm going to need self defence lessons, I have accidentally revealed to the entire school that Erin is pregnant, I reckon I'm going to get killed,"

"Erin hopefully won't mind," Sam replied,

"I hope she won't, anyway I was more worried about the boyfriend, he sounds ridiculously over protective."

"Oh he is, he is the stereotypical boyfriend, all protective over his girl, no one can say anything bad about her or they will have him to deal with,"

"And I thought you were butch,"

"bit rude,"

"well butch is hot on girls, doesn't work quite as well on boys,"

"nothing works as well on boys as it does on girls," Sam added,

"you got that right. I feel so sorry for all the straight girls who just can't see it but I have a feeling my friends from before I moved here would disagree."

"From the orchestra?" Sam asked,

"my specialist care home, well they lived in the area, they were just ordinary kids. They helped, a lot, they certainly helped me build up my confidence."

"Names?"

"Matty, Jason, Tori and Piper. Matty and Jason didn't understand much but they were both gay so there were bits they could understand. Tori was Matty's little sister, only 10, I told her vague details about my life but she was like my little sister, I wanted to wrap her up in bubble wrap and keep her safe, Symphony was the same with me. I was never close to my own younger siblings, it was only Symphony and sometimes Bai,"

"do you wish you were closer?"

"a bit but I would feel guiltier if I had got to know them and left them in Beijing, selfish of me perhaps but... Piper. Piper didn't even try to be nice, she would say stuff as it is. No point sugar coating stuff, I do agree with her to an extent. Piper nicknamed me Marmite or Arietta Marmite, because as Matty put it, to be friends with me you have to have a very acquired taste or as Piper put you either love me or hate me and most people hate me."

"Why do people hate you?" Sam asked,

"well let's see crazy, over the top, annoying, too happy well too apparently happy, um... I also apparently over react about the reason I'm in care..."

"Kitty?" Sam guessed,

"yeah, I've met people like her before and..."

"and..."

"POST BOX!"

"What the..."

Xxx

Sam was sat on the wall, playing a chord sequence, well most of a chord sequence but she couldn't work out the final chord. "Bb major," Arietta called,

"thanks," Sam replied, strumming the complete sequence, Ari swung down next to her,

"I've finally sorted out my studio," she told Sam,

"your what?"

"My music studio, you know my mikes, amps, DJ board etc, do you want to play with it?"

Xxx

"This is crazy!" Sam exclaimed looking at all the stuff,

"want to make some music?" Ari asked,

"what song?" Sam asked,

"up to you, your own song, a rock ballad, anything."

"But what if you don't know it?" Sam asked,

"it's more fun that way," Ari replied, "just tell me what style."

"Um... have you got an electric guitar?"

Xxx

Sam stood in front of the microphone, "ok Sam," Arietta said, "When I create an idea for backing I will put it in, try to not let it distract you," Sam nodded, "in your own time then."

Her guitar playing filled the room, Ari listened silently, before moving to add a drum beat, then Sam started singing, Ari rearranged the drum beat, before it pulling out and put it back in for the chorus. She rushed to the computer to add the Sam's vocal intro as backing, Ari dashed round the room editing and improving. Meanwhile Sam was blissfully unaware, completely focused on singing.

About half an hour later they had recorded other backing parts, Ari had fiddled with song an uncountable number of times.

"Please can I hear it," Sam begged, Ari sighed before playing it, Sam stood silent.  
"I know," Ari groaned, "I know it still needs a lot of work doing on it but give me a bit of time and..."

"Ari shut up," Sam told her, "that is so good,"

"really?" the Chinese girl replied, genuinely surprised by Sam's reaction.

"Why are you surprised?" Sam asked,

"just... Symphony was better with this equipment, it always sounded right for her, for me however long I work on it never sounds quite right."

"Have you got any other songs recorded?" Sam asked, Ari walked to the computer and pulled up a long list.

"Matty, Jason, Piper and Tori liked recording songs," she explained,

"and what is "Piper Jam For Victoria"?" Sam replied,

"um... our band,"

"you're in a band!"

"Was,"

"explain the name."  
"Piper like Piper, J for Jason, A for Arietta, M for Matty and Victoria, long for Tori."

"I like it, we should have a band,"

"what would we call it?" Ari asked, raising her eyebrows,  
"U-Haul bitches,"

"or L-Word Lesbians,"

"Children of Sappho,"

"Sunnydale Wicca Group,"

"Ellen,"

"Of course, Ellen, pray to the queen of Lesbians, Ellen DeGeneres,"

"or Sarietta," Sam added,

"Sarietta, what's that, our ship name?" Ari asked,

"could be, the other option is Arisam,"

"Sarietta is better,"

"thought so."

"Any reason why you were thinking about our ship name?"

"Nope," Sam replied grinning, "just popped into my head."

"Sure."

"Anyway I have a better band name," Sam suddenly piped up,

"what is it?"  
"POST BOX!"  
"That's my line," Ari muttered.

Xxx

"It wasn't a mistake," Kitty snapped, Ari looked up to see the younger (and smaller) girl standing in her door way.

"Excuse me?" she replied, confused.

"That sort of stuff doesn't make people popular around here," she spat,

"what sort of stuff?"

"Spreading secrets," Kitty replied, "you can't take the fact that Erin will always be better than you; she is beautiful, kind, funny and... You are trying to make her life a misery and yourself popular by telling everyone about her pregnancy,"

"I..." Arietta started,

"I," Kitty shouted, cutting her off, "everything is about you, you are selfish, stuck up, you think your life is so much worse than ours. We've all been through shit, you're not special, we've all had it hard and I reckon the majority of people have had it worse than you. You are so self-centred."

Ari turned her head away, trying to hide the tears welling in her eyes,

_Oh my, baby please, Mia, please, please cry, oh god... Mia_.

She took a deep breath, she couldn't quite fathom why she had seen that snapshot, she wiped her eyes and turned back to Kitty.

"Why don't you tell me your story?" Arietta asked,

"so you can laugh about it? Spread it around school? Use it to make your own story more dramatic and horrific than mine?" Kitty asked, "no way José."

"But you want me to tell me my story," Arietta stated, "so you can do all that stuff."

"I wouldn't do that,"

"neither would I,"

"yeah, right," Kitty replied. Arietta turned, heading towards the door, "you can't run away from the truth..."

Xxx

The ringing of her phone cut through the October air, numbly, Arietta accepted the call, "Ari," Tori yelled down the phone,

"hey," Ari whispered,

"are you ok?" the younger girl replied,

"peachy,"

"Arietta Tara Rosenberg, you are a terrible liar,"

"tell me something I don't know."

"I thought everything was ok at the new house, I thought you liked it there, Matty said that you told him it was very welcoming, and that you had mentioned a cute blonde lesbian,"

"can your big brother ever keep his mouth shut?" Ari replied, Tori considered for a moment,  
"nope."

The Chinese girl grinned as she leant back against the wall, Tori's call had chased away her fears – if she had friends like this, she couldn't be that bad.

"So what is the problem?" she asked, the second she had finished talking about her ballet exam,

"this girl," Ari started,

"the lesbian?"

"no, Sam and I are friends,"

"sure you are just _friends,_"

"we are _just _friends,"

"if you say so, anyway which girl,"  
"she's in year 9, she reckons I am self-centred, selfish, stuck up and a total B-I-T-C-H,"

"a bitca?" Tori asked, confused,

"indeed,"

"Ari, she sounds like an idiot, and a bitca. Whatever a bitca is."

"How about you ask Matty."

"Ok, bye,"

"bye Tori, love ya," she said and then hung up,

"who's that?" Sam asked, Ari almost jumped out of her skin, "your girlfriend?"

"If my girlfriend is 4'9, 10 years old and... no... ew... I was talking to Tori,"

"that would explain why you were S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G words out,"

"S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G," Ari muttered trying to work it out, "oh, spelling."

"You really do need help with your reading," Sam replied,

"tell me something I don't know."

"But I want to know is how you can spell bitch but not spelling,"

"some words are more useful for tweeting than others."

Xxx

03:45

Arietta sighed and got out of bed, it was the fourth time she had woken up that night, she just kept having nightmares. She pulled on her hoodie and went downstairs to the lounge, she flicked on the small lamp and went over to the bookcase. She selected a book, a fairy story, probably written for someone half her age.

She curled up on the sofa and started to read, losing herself in the innocent world of Kirsty and Rachel.

Xxx

Mike went downstairs, as he was walking to the kitchen he saw the lounge door was open, he looked inside. Passed out on the couch was Arietta, surrounded by a pile of fairy books. He crept in and covered her with a blanket, Ari almost instantly snuggled up to the blanket, a small smile on the face.

When Arietta awoke she realised she hadn't had a nightmare, a dream, a good dream.

Next to her was a pile of books, and she was under a blanket she had never seen before. A bit confused she replaced the books on the shelf, and went to breakfast.

The kitchen was deserted apart form Mike, "have a good reading session?" he asked, Ari nodded,

"gotta love the fairies,"

"fairies?" Sam asked as she entered the kitchen, back from her early morning run with Faith.

"Yeah I was reading a fairy book, then I dreamt about fairies," she paused, looking straight at Sam, "you look really hot with fairy wings."

Arietta couldn't help but grin when Sam went beetroot red.

**I will write the story Alone In A Room Full Of People, p.s. Sorry for slow updates xxx**


	10. S A M

**Chapter 10**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Shine-Of-A-Star for reviewing – I loved the Rainbow Magic books too, but I didn't like sharing the name with a main character (Rachel) because at school they would always make me be Rachel and I wanted to be a fairy. **

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing, yeah I agree Kitty is very OOC, but bitchy Kitty is kind of necessary, I would say this is probably because the specialist care home has boosted her confidence, but made her more protective and in a way almost sorry for herself, or possibly believes that you can't a past worse than hers. Also chapter 36 of Not Alone Anymore from Kitty's point of view, so I recommend you read it.**

**Also I recommend reading the story What If by Sophie and Maddie and Jess, and not just because I am the Beta from chapter 4 onwards.**

Arietta Tara Rosenberg was many things – brave, bitchy, brilliant, crazy but most of all she was a dedicated. She would work and work for hours, days, months, years to perfect something to her liking.

When she was 2 years old her big sister Jing Yi (aka Symphony) had given her her old violin and tried to teach Ari (though at this point she was known as Daiyu) how to play. She gave up after half an hour unable to bare the screeching of the violin, Daiyu hadn't. During the day when her parents released her to the mercy of the Beijing streets she would hide out in her den and play. She knew how the violin was meant to sound, she shared a bedroom with a professional violinist (and 7 other older sisters plus her younger sister,) so she kept playing, until the notes started sounding right, not like a cat being strangled.

She learnt how each note was written down, she learnt to read music, every day her fingers were able to move a tiny bit faster, her sound sounded better and she was flying through books of violin music.

Years later she found herself doing the same thing, learning to read English, she had learnt Chinese when she lived in China but never had had the time to learn to read in English. All the books she had ever needed to read had Chinese translations so it had never bothered her but she couldn't write in Chinese in her GCSEs.

So she started reading, Ari spent every free moment with her head in a book, she finished all the fairy books on the shelf, then moved onto some books written about animals, but the happy dribble of the stories was turning her brain to mush so she fortunately discovered Jaqueline Wilson, whose stories actually had real life situations, admittedly not rape, but stuff such as abusive parents, divorced parents, the death of your best friend. All written with a certain level of simplicity that Arietta could understand.

"I can't believe in less than a week," Sam said looking up from her homework, "that in a week you have gone from reading Rainbow Magic to Jacqueline Wilson, you've probably increased your reading age by 5 years."

"Mr Priestley was very impressed," Ari replied, "especially since I now can spell basic words, and even some non-basic words. Luckily I am a quick learner and I'm dedicated, to be a professional musician you have to be."

"How is science going?" Sam asked,

"badly, I am already 2 modules behind in all 3 and I have to learn them all for Summer," Arietta groaned, "and music isn't even good, I've been doing that stuff for years and we don't even study Vivaldi! What kind of a course is this?! They don't even ask us to mildly challenging stuff..."

"Cariad, you are exceptionally talented at music, the rest of us find it hard and you really need to stop complaining in class, people will start to think you are big headed and... yeah."

"I know, I just hate seeing the most important thing in my life being destroyed by a load of brainless children,"

"thank you for that lovely compliment," Sam snapped,

"I wasn't talking about you, you can sing and play guitar, I'm talking about the ones who reckon they are Joan Sutherland,"

"Joan Sutherland?"

"How do you not know who she is?! She is only like the best opera singer of all time,"

"most people in our music class would laugh at opera singers, they believe the highest level of musician is Beyoncé,"  
"uneducated twats," Ari muttered, "have you ever tried singing opera?"

"Me. An opera singer?" Sam asked incredulously,

"you have a strong voice, with an amazing tone, what's your range?"

"Ari, bit busy, this maths won't get itself down," Sam returned her attention to the book, which Ari unhelpfully snatched,

"what even is this?" she asked, turning the book round and round, "and which way up is it meant to be?"

"Solving equations with unknowns in the denominator," Sam told her, grabbing the book back.

"En Anglais s'il vous plaît," Ari replied,

"you speak French?"

"I can ask people to speak in English, not my definition of speaking a language but you're English, and English are notoriously lazy at learning languages and use the fact that the majority of people of the world speak English to justify their own laziness."

"How about you try being a tiny bit less prejudice," Sam suggested,

"I feel the need to declare my hatred of French old people,"

"What?!" Sam stared at the Chinese girl,

"haven't you seen Buffy The Vampire Slayer?" Sam shook her head, "I don't know you any more," Ari told her walking out the room.

Xxx

Kitty and Tyler sprinted into the living room both shouting, everyone stared at them unable to work out what they were saying.

"Guys calm down, we can't understand what you're saying," Sam told them, laughing. Kitty paused, before screaming,

"They found Tee didn't they, they're all coming home, they'll be back today!"

Johnny's face lit up and started hugging Kitty, while declaring their love to each other in the very teenagerish way. The way that would usually make Arietta roll her eyes, she had witnessed over and over these declarations of love, and a few months later the relationship was over. She may have been terrible at science but knew that teenage love was generally a case of extremely heightened hormones.

But today wasn't a day for eye-rolling, and feeling sick at the mushy heterosexual teenage couple.

She was scared, "They're all going to hate me," Ari whispered to a grinning Sam, Sam paused and put her arm round the older girl and pulled her close,

"They're not, Erin isn't like that don't worry she'll understand, Tee's a sweetie as for Rick, I'm not saying he won't be annoyed but he'll get over it I promise," Arietta nodded and hugged Samantha, her gorgeous blonde.

Wait.

_Her _gorgeous blonde.

Ari didn't own Sam but Ari's thoughts were silenced by her best friend's voice.

"I don't know how you could think anyone could ever hate you anyway," Sam exclaimed, Ari looked away smiling and blushing.

And _blushing_.

_No, _Ari told herself, _I do not think of Sam like that, she's my favourite girl and yes she's a lesbian. But we're are just friends, nothing more, nothing less. Yes she is gorgeous but that is beside the point, she..._

"What are you even thinking about?" Sam asked, "you look like you're in pain."

"Oh, thanks," Ari replied, grinning like an idiot, "I was just... thinking,"

"about?"

_You,_ Arietta thought.

"Oh just have a mental debate whether the Autumn or Winter movement in Le Quattro Stagioni is better," she lied,

"do you ever think of anything other than music?" Sam asked amused.

_Yes. You._

"Sometimes," Ari replied grinning.

"Come on," Sam said grabbing her hand and pulling her up, "let's give those two some space," Ari looked across, Johnny and Kitty were curled up together on the sofa, looking very couple-y.

"Can't believe I've only been here for 10 days," Arietta commented, "feels like I've been here forever,"

"here most people fit in straight away," Sam told her, "Kitty only arrived in mid-September,"

"so she's been here what... 6 weeks?" Ari asked,

"something like that,"

"she seems like she has been here forever,"

"tell me about it, but we all feel the same way, I mean I joined in July and Erin joined in June, it would be weird having the Dumping Ground without one of us."

"They would manage pretty well without me," Ari told her truthfully, "you would miss me, I hope, and I get on with Faith, also Frank doesn't mind me but the others... they reckon I'm trying to replace Erin and I... I just can't do anything right. I don't want people to hate me but they still do, it's like I'm a politician or something."

Sam squeezed her hand, then the both looked at their hands, neither girl had realised they were still holding hands. They both awkwardly stepped apart, looking around to see if anyone had seen. They looked at each other,

"um..." Ari mumbled,  
"so... what were you saying about Buffy the Vampire Slayer?" Sam asked awkwardly,

"would you like to watch some?"

"yes, that would be.. good, that would be..." both girls avoided each others gaze,

"um... ok."

Xxx

"Why do you hate Oz so much?" Sam asked,

"series 4, just... you'll understand when we watch it,"

"any reason why we started on series 3 instead of 1?"

"The series get better as you go along, this way we get to the brilliance of series 6 faster," Ari told her. They both paused,

"You know your name?" Sam asked,

"I should hope I know my own name," Ari grinned,

"yeah, why did you choose it, out of every name in the entire universe."

"Well I thought Arietta sounded pretty and it's a musical name, I was originally going to call myself Allegretta but I decided Arietta was a better name."

"I agree with that,"

"Symphony and I chose the surname Rosenberg, because when she went on a orchestra tour she had gone to America and had gotten obsessed with Buffy, it was 2002, the year series 6 aired, so she would have been 15 and she fell in love with the show. She managed to bring back the videos, not that we had video player or even a television, but in 2007 when I was 8 and Symph was 20 she had a friend, probably her girlfriend from her music college, the girl was an only child and was definitely richer, she had a television in her room with a video player. My parents were convinced at the time Symph had a secret boyfriend so they wouldn't let her out by herself so she started taking me to places, including Yao Niang's house. There they would watch the Buffy videos, though they often got bored and went upstairs and... wow, how did I never realise my sister was having sex as I watching Buffy and Spike have sex."

"Meanwhile in 2007 I would have been locked in my bedroom with Shine, reading every book we had over and over again, making up alternate endings, making up our own stories. Shine would have been 13, younger than I am now. She really had a shit life, she was born in 1994, Mum died when she was 9, then she was locked in her bedroom with only me for company till she was 16, then she was raped when she was 17, then she committed suicide."

"At least Symphony had freedom, she had a few girlfriends, she enjoyed her life, she just killed herself so she didn't have to go through the pain of the future,"

"but you had to go through it instead,"

"and I survived, I now have my entire life to live, I can do anything I want, I have freedom, total freedom, probably because my entire family thinks I'm dead."

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"Not really, my parents don't really care, the only cared about Symphony's death because they lost out on a shit load of money. They can't even remember all of our names,"

"can you remember all your siblings names?"

"Probably if you gave me enough time," Arietta told her truthfully.

"Anyway back to me," Ari stated, "Symphony and I loved Buffy, our favourite character was Willow so we took her surname for our own, and I took the name of my other favourite character: Tara as my middle name."

"Which one was Tara?" Sam asked, trying to remember,

"she only comes in in Series 4, you will love her. Everyone does."

"I thought you would have named yourself something more musical, I mean I know Arietta is but..."

"you thought I would call myself Arietta Haydn Beethoven," the Chinese girl stated,

"something like that," Sam replied,

"I was thinking of it but I didn't want to get confused with the great composers, I did consider naming myself Summer, Summer Rosenberg, since Summer is my favourite movement of the four seasons to play but I had a feeling that musical reference would be lost on most people, who would probably question why a girl born on January the 1st was named Summer."

"Yeah..." Sam was cut off by a knock at the door,

"come in," Arietta called.

The door opened and Mo, Harry and Jody walked in,

"can you help us?" Mo asked pushing his glasses up,

"what for?" Sam asked smiling welcoming,

"chocolate biscuits," Jody exploded,

"we are cooking biscuits for Erin, Rick and Tee," Mo explained, "Gina is out, and..."

"it would pure insanity to ask either Tracy or Mike to help," Arietta finished, "since neither can cook to save their life."

"Neither can I," Sam warned, "set one of my old homes on fire when I tried to cook," she lowered her voice to a whisper so only Ari would hear, "that was only care home where I didn't try to get kicked out, I liked it there, they had nice soap."

"I'll help," Ari told them grinning, scraping her long hair back into a bun.

Xxx

Jeff sat on the worktop watching the events unfolding, he was wearing an apron that Harry had made him out of an old hair band he had found.

Ari found herself comfortably chatting to the younger kids, and thinking about it Jody was older than Tori, Mo was the same age and Harry was slightly younger. The main difference was Tori grew up happily in a house with her big brother, Mum and Dad, it honestly made a world of difference. Arietta was close friends with Tori, so why couldn't she be friends with the younger ones. They were less bitchy, less likely to hate her, less likely to judge. Anyway on the exterior levels she acted like a kid, it was only when you got deeper that you would see the scars, the pain, the fear, the hopelessness that she felt.

Sam looked deeper, past the fake smiles (some of which were becoming real smiles), past the crazy attitude, the obsession with postboxes, saw the girl broken by the events of her life still piecing herself back together. When Sam looked into her eyes she didn't see the childish delight that everyone else saw, she saw eyes that had seen too much, she had old eyes, but still in dark brown there was hope.

Mia may have faded from the world as quickly as she began, but she was still with Ari, still inside her, still giving her hope.

There were 3 people who owned Arietta's heart.

Symphony – her big sister who had showed her the world, and the good times of life.

Arietta – after all it belonged to her, she deserved to own some of it.

Mia – her baby girl, who had given hope, in the most impossible of times.

The biscuits had cooled, the 4 of them were icing. Mo, unsurprisingly, was brilliant at decorating. Jody tried to put as much icing as humanly possible onto the biscuit. Harry was trying, in vain, to draw a Giraffe. Ari had decorated her biscuits with musical notes, then when the others were talking she picked up another biscuit.

There was no way she could fit their full names onto the biscuit, she decided just to ice the the first letter of the name onto the biscuit.

Mo looked over at her biscuit,

"is that biscuit for Sam?" he asked,

"what?" Ari said, extremely confused. The names on her biscuit were the names of the people who meant everything to her, who would always have a place in her heart.

She looked down at her biscuit.

**S**ymphony

**A**rietta

**M**ia

**S**

**A **

**M**

Arietta couldn't help but stare.


	11. Reality Comes Home

**Chapter 11**

**Thank you Shine-Of-A-Star for reviewing – poor us being forced to be humans instead of fairies**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**I didn't actually create the character names to spell Sam, it was unintentional and I discovered it later.**

**Sorry about my slow updating, I meant to upload this on Friday but didn't finish and went of my D of E practice weekend on Saturday and only just got back.**

Sam stared at the ceiling, bored, Arietta was helping out with the younger ones. Every since they had exchanged stories they had been joined by the hip, Ari had only been in the Dumping Ground just over a week and she was already a big part of Sam's life. And Sam a big part of Ari's.

She would have thought that she would have felt almost stifled by Ari's attention but instead she was happy. There was something amazing about Ari, the same thing that was in both her Mum and Shine, something she hadn't seen for two years.

She felt something too.

She felt wanted.

When she joined the Dumping Ground she thought it would be perfect, Erin showed her attention and she was always included but as the summer wore on and the leaves turned brown it become quite apparent that she wasn't one of them.

She was left out, if the Dumping Ground was a primary school Erin and Rick would be the leaders picked by the teacher and they would select the people they wanted for their teams. Sam would be the kid left over. Then the new kid turned up, Arietta. No one wanted her either, so she grabbed Sam by the hand and they made a team together.

The two kids no one wanted, united.

It was funny, Sam never mattered to Kitty till Erin was gone, she then started hanging out with the blonde, while making it apparent that she was only a temporary replacement for Erin. Soon as Sam fould someone else Kitty was desperate for her attention. Only wanting her as a friend to get one up on Arietta.

Now Erin was coming home, Sam had always been loyal to her, desperate for her attention.

_I love you the more._

_I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius,_

_The more you beat me I will fawn on you._

_Use me but as your spaniel: spurn me, strike me,_

_Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave, _

_Unworthy as I am, to follow you._

_What worser place can I beg in your love_

_And yet a place of high respect with me_

_Than to be used as you use your dog?_

They had been studying A Midsummer Night's Dream at school and this quote had stuck in Sam's mind, in retrospect she would have been willing to do anything for Erin, just for the beautiful brunette to give her the slightest bit of attention.

In her mind she had glorified Erin, placed her on a pedestal and worshipped her.

Dreamed about her, thinking about all the things she wanted to do to Erin, thinking how beautiful she would be after...

There were two things that broke Sam's illusions.

Firstly the pregnancy, at first jealousy, how could Rick do that to her Erin?

Secondly Arietta. Ari's story made her remember that life was too short to be chasing a girl who was A: head-over-heels in love with a BOY.

B: Pregnant.

C: Straight.

D: Not interested in her.

The illusions of Erin's feelings shattered into a thousand pieces.

Erin would never love her.

Erin would never leave Rick for her.

Erin wasn't perfect.

Neither was Arietta.

At least Ari admitted it.

Arietta and Erin were similar, admittedly Ari's past was hundreds of times worse than Erin, both were great with kids, both were pregnant/had been pregnant. They both were kind, musical, clever, beautiful. Arietta could out shine Erin just by playing scales but then again Ari was professional. She could pretty much outshine anyone on the violin.

Both were smart, Erin academically while Ari was not clever academically, the only science she understood was music but she spoke two languages fluently, as well as snippets of other languages, as well as having a love of Shakespeare, from a few trips to the Globe theatre.

Both had been through too much, but then again so had everyone in the Dumping Ground.

The main difference was how they looked at the world, Erin had pretty much fallen for Rick at first sight, and examined Sam when she arrived. Ari hadn't looked at Sam, she had looked through Sam and seen who she really was.

To some people Ari might have sounded like a consolation prize but she wasn't, she was so much more. She was someone whose eyes wouldn't glaze over as she excitedly babbled about Sam's team winning, she would listen intently, actually interested.

At night Sam would climb into Ari's room via the window, they would chat for hours. Sometimes about meaningless stuff such a post boxes, sometimes the conversations would evolve into something important. Sam told her of the anger and the pain that controlled her for almost two years of her life, that clouded her judgement, that got her kicked out of children's home after home. The times she would just run and run, see how long it would take for the Police to catch her. The days of hassling kids on street corners.

When she cried Ari would pull her close and tell her to let it out, one time she started singing a Chinese lullaby, completely different to the one her Mum used to play or sing her.

Arietta knew what Sam needed, it was probably left over maternal feelings, she knew when to hold Sam, knew when to tell her a happy story, when to just be silent and hold her hands, she knew when music was all they needed.

Something only her Mum and Shine had managed to do before.

Something Erin could never do.

Xxx

A triplet rap at the door smashed Sam's reflective silence, before Sam could answer Ari had entered.

"The point of knocking is waiting for me to say you can come in, I could've been changing,"

"I wouldn't have minded," Arietta told her sitting down next to her, "biscuit?"

"I suppose so," Ari grinned her and passed the biscuit, on it scribbled out in purple was the words _Sam._

"Personalised biscuits," Sam replied, Ari nodded, not quite meeting her gaze. "Cariad, what is it?"

Ari sighed, "it's nothing, was just thinking about Erin, what it's going to be like,"

"Cariad," Sam sighed, "Erin won't hate you, anyway it would have come out sooner or later,"

"Kitty hates me,"

"Kitty's Kitty, Erin isn't, and Rick will get over it,"

"they'll all hate me, they'll all hate me, they'll all hate me," Ari repeated in an almost sing song voice.

"They won't Ari, honestly," Sam replied, "I've already told you what they're like and I know what they're like, it's nothing like you imagine." Ari sighed and made her way over to the bed where Sam was sprawled, Sam shuffled closer and Ari hugged her.

"Thanks," the Chinese girl whispered, "I'd probably go mad without you." She swung her legs up onto the bed, "how close were you and Erin?" she asked after a minute,

"really close..." Sam trailed off, Ari raised her eyebrows, "ok we were friends but a friend that you wouldn't hang out with by yourself,"

"did you have a crush on her?" she questioned, Sam almost choked on the biscuit. "Thought so," Ari grinned,

"you don't mind?" Sam questioned,

"of course not, you can't be a proper lesbian if you haven't fallen for your straight best friend. Anyway I'm just glad it wasn't Kitty."

"Kitty got with Johnny the second she got here," Sam told Ari,

"what's with the people who live in here, they all seemed to be coupled up, it's like they have single Pringle phobia."

"I know what you mean Erin and Rick, Kitty and Johnny, Tee and Tyler,"

"Tee and Tyler! Wow, I didn't see Tyler as the relationship type."

"Well they were never properly together, not like Erin and Rick or Johnny and Kitty."

"Well no one will replace my favourite couple Mason,"

"I really need to meet Matty and Jason, they sound pretty cool,"  
"they're my favourite guys," Ari told her, "they're you know... gay."  
"Was that meant to be a let's kill Hitler reference,"

"yep, I like Doctor Who and post boxes.

Xxx

"Johnny," Kitty whispered, he had been pacing all day, ever since they found out Erin, Rick and Tee were coming home. "Johnny, please calm down, Tee will be fine with you, she's probably as nervous to see you, so you don't want to make it any worse," Kitty begged.

"I hit her," Johnny cried, "I hurt my little sister," Kitty pulled him into a hug,

"she still loves you. She will always love you," she whispered, "just like me."

Harry sprinted in, "when will Erin be home?" he asked, again, for about the 7th time that hour,

"soon," Kitty told him grinning, Harry ran off again. "I reckon Rick will give Ari what she deserves," she told her boyfriend,

"she said it was an accident," Johnny muttered,

"yeah right," Kitty snapped, "Ari just wants to bring Erin down, she's jealous because Erin is brilliant and she isn't." Johnny nodded in agreement, not listening, he had learnt to tune out the moment Kitty mentioned Arietta's name because it would likely end up being a half an hour rant about her.

Just smile and nod.

He went back to thinking about his sister, praying she would forgive him.

Xxx

Ari tugged on her thick cardigan, her fingers needing something to fiddle with, they went to her hair. Hair up or hair down?

"Ari you are fussing again," Sam told her, not looking up from her maths homework,

"I know," she sighed, "I just don't need another Kitty and her overprotective boyfriend on my case."

"Erin is better than Kitty, Kitty is honestly just a poor replacement for Elektra."

"Elektra?"  
"Erin's old best friend, she was hit by a car at the end of the first week of school. She was paralysed from the waist downwards, had to go to a specialist care home. She was nicer than Kitty, and Kitty was decent when she started, without Erin she has just got bitchier and bitchier. I think also the ego boost from not being the new girl."  
"And she's always had it out for me," Ari added,

"probably because the whole house was a mess, everyone was moping around and you gave the house something to smile about."

"What?" Sam asked,

"Before you arrived we sat in silence, unsure what to do with ourselves, but you brought some normality into our lives and things started go back to normal. Possibly a reason Kitty doesn't like you."

"You would almost think Kitty was the one with the crush on Erin," Sam laughed at Ari's comment.

"Why is Kitty in care?" Ari asked the blonde a few seconds, Sam sighed,

"basically her Dad sexually abused her,"

"is that all?" she questioned, confusion clouding Ari's face.

"Ari, it isn't normal to be sexually abused,"

"I forget that sometimes," she admitted, "it's just paid such a big part of my life."

"He touched her since the age of 5, raped her age 9, and she was taken away age 10."

"Meanwhile when I was 5 I spent my days in my little den made of asbestos playing the violin, age 9 I had just left China and was either living on the streets of London or just joining the orchestra, in 10 we were on an orchestral tour."

"When I was 5 I was locked in my bedroom, when I was 9 I was locked in my bedroom, when I was 10 I was locked in my bedroom."

"I definitely had the best as a kid," Ari commented, "I got to do what I loved everyday and see the world. Sure my parents were a bit shit but they could have been a hell of a lot worse."

"Dad could have been worse," Sam admitted, "I don't think he ever hit me, just neglected me."

"But you're happier in care?" Ari asked,

"I wasn't at first," Sam told her, "but I am now, now I have a best friend,"

"you are so sweet,"

"I was talking about Kitty," she joked,

"Samantha Marcia Carter, we are over."

Xxx

"Will I have to drag you?" Sam questioned,

"I'm not going," Ari told her, peering out into the garden, "everyone is happy and all in love with Miss Gorgeous Straight Girl, and I'll stick out like Putin at Pride."

"You, Arietta Tara Rosenberg, come out with the strangest things,"

"I am quite proud of that one," she admitted, grinning ear to ear,

"now, come on," Sam said grabbing her hand and pulling her out into the garden, only to hear the most unfortunate thing.

"Someone revealed your pregnancy to the whole school and a lot of people have been saying stuff…" Kitty trailed off,

"Who was it?!" Rick exclaimed angrily, Arietta stiffened and backed into Sam,

"Rick hun, calm down," Erin whispered, she stopped turning to stare at the new girl.

Both girls stood together, unsure what to do.


	12. Remember Thorpe Park?

**Chapter 12**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Sorry for the long gap, I was waiting for Zebralover4578 to upload her next chapter, which never happened so I'm continuing without her.**

"_Someone revealed your pregnancy to the whole school and a lot of people have been saying stuff…" Kitty trailed off, _

"_Who was it?!" Rick exclaimed angrily, Arietta stiffened and backed into Sam,_

"_Rick hun, calm down," Erin whispered, she stopped turning to stare at the new girl._

_Both girls stood together, unsure what to do._

It reminded Arietta of 15th January 2012, she had spent the day wandering the streets of Beijing, searching for the answers. Why was she back in this place? Well she knew it was because she had no legal guardian that she had to leave with her parents but...

there had to be some deeper meaning.

She had to be in China for a reason.

She found herself watching her siblings as they worked, as they clambered over gigantic piles of rubbish, sorting it out, looking for a piece of rubbish worth even one Yuan.

She couldn't help but feel bad as she watched, she hadn't had to live like this for over 7 years, since her musical talent was discovered. She had gotten used to a Western life style: a life of running water, warm plentiful meals, flushing toilets, pretty dresses. While her siblings were sifting through rubbish, unable to read or write, because their parents couldn't afford education for them. Her siblings were statistics, part of the 4.9% who couldn't read or write, they had no future outside of rubbish sorting or factory work if they were lucky.

She focused on their faces, working out who was who: Da, Chun, He, Fen, Gang... Li Gui Ying

Li Gui Ying. The real reason she was called Arietta. Who Arietta would've been if she had failed the orchestral audition.

Back in 2007, when Arietta was 8, Symphony was 20 and Li Gui Ying was 10. There was an Orchestral Audition, they were entering as a String Quartet along with Yao Niang, Symphony's then (secret) girlfriend. To set them apart from the crowd they had taken on English names:

Jing Yi became Symphony

Yao Niang became Kennedy

and Li Gui Ying became Aria.

An Aria was accompanied song for solo voice and Li Gui Ying was the soloist.

And Arietta (then Daiyu) had no name ideas, she considered Summer and Allegretta but neither felt right. She had grown up without identity, she had always been little Jing Yi, or little Li Gui Ying and now she couldn't call herself little Symphony it didn't make sense. She couldn't call herself little Aria either. Could she?

"_Kennedy," she called, "is there a musical term for a short Aria?"_

"_Um... pass, Symph," she yelled, _

"_yeah, what?" Symphony asked entering the room._

"_What do you call a short Aria?" Kennedy questioned,_

"_an Arietta," she replied. _

"_Arietta," Daiyu whispered, "Arietta," she looked in the mirror, "hello I'm Arietta. Arietta."_

"_Symphony, Kennedy, I'm Arietta." _

Xxx

Arietta paused, it hadn't been Aria's fault, she was a beautiful singer but against such tough competition she had lost out. While her accompanists: Symphony, Arietta (both on the violin) and Kennedy (on the cello) got in.

That was the end of Aria's dream, their parents shouted at her and the next day, as Arietta and Symphony practised their scales, she was sent out onto the rubbish heap, with all the others. Meanwhile the others both flourished and were able to leave their lives behind, in search of fame and fortune and a better (more European) lifestyle.

Now, aged 13, Arietta was back, she saw the distaste in her Sibling's eyes, she had left them and not provided any support for their alcohol parents, or them. She walked over to the pile of rubbish, near Aria, and stared down at it. Up close she remembered why, as a small child, she refused to sort through... this.

The rotting fish, the shards of glass, the faeces, the concrete rubble.

"Always thought you were too good for this, you posh princess," Aria growled,

"I..." Arietta didn't know what to say,

"why do you always get the good things? When will it be our turn? Baba he Mama always spent the money on you, bought you nice stuff, you even got an education, but us, we are stuck here. You could have helped us but no, you are too up yourselves. Living your perfect life. You're not a Xifeng, Xifeng's stick together and help each other out. You couldn't wait to leave. At least you won't be a Xifeng for much longer."

"What do you mean?" Arietta questioned,

"well lucky little Daiyu, has got another lucky break, a life of luxury with a millionaire while we are stuck here."

"What?"  
"Can you be an slower princess? Chao wants to marry you, wants you to be his wife and you'll have a lovely wedding and you'll have lots of lovely children which you can actually afford and you will never be a Xifeng again."

"I'm not a Xifeng, I'm a Rosenberg," Arietta shouted before sprinting away, her head thumping, her brain unable to work out what it had just heard...

married... Chao... married... man... shit...

She ran to her parents' house, into the room reserved for eating, stood their was her Baba, Mama and Chao.

Staring at her.

Xxx

Nearly two years later she walked out into the garden

"Someone revealed your pregnancy to the whole school and a lot of people have been saying stuff…" Kitty trailed off,

"Who was it?!" Rick exclaimed angrily,

"Rick hun, calm down," Erin whispered, she stopped turning to stare at the new girl.

The sense of Deja Vu was incredible.

"_Chao meet you wife to be, Daiyu," her Baba said, smiling,_

"Rick, Erin, Tee this is Arietta," Sam told her friends,

"_oh she's a pretty one, young, very young, even better," Chao grinned, admiring his new possession._

"_I'm not getting married, I can't," Arietta begged, "I'm 13, it's against the law and... I believe in love. I believe in romance. In falling in love. In dancing and singing and music. I want to find the Willow to my Tara, the Ace to my Kara, the Bria to my Chrissy, a Mary to my Tosh, apart from not Mary cause she was a psychopathic alien who just wanted access to Torchwood. But that kiss... anyway... the Sam to my Lexi..."_

"_what?!" Baba yelled,_

"_I'm attracted to girls, not boys. I want a wife not a husband." She didn't expect to be slapped across the face. She didn't expect much. Since she hadn't even considered coming out to her parents. She found herself on the floor. _

"_I will pay for rehab," Chao declared, "don't worry, she WILL love me."_

"Ari," Sam tugged her arm, "Ari, Erin was talking to you."

"Sorry, I... I wasn't paying attention."

"It doesn't matter," Erin said coldly, walking back to Rick,

"I've well and truly fucked that up," Arietta muttered,

"sorry Ari, but I've got to agree with you on that," Sam replied,

"sorry," she apologized, "I've just messed everything up, I won't fit in with them..."  
"Ari," Sam said, cutting her off, "it doesn't matter, I still have you as my friend, having the others would have been a nice bonus, but as long as I have my best friend, I'll be fine."

"Samantha I am not worth messing up your friendship with them for, go and talk to them, I'll still be here."

"Ari,"

"that was not a request, that was an order."

"Yes ma'am, right away ma'am," Sam saluted before marching up to her old friends.

"Hey," Sam greeted as she sat down with Erin, Rick, Tee, Johnny, Kitty, Tyler and Frank. In the corner of her eye she saw Ari had joined in a game of tag with Harry, Mo, Jody and Faith.

"Oh so as soon as Erin's back you go and dump Miss Life-ruiner," Kitty snapped,

"Ari's my friend, and so are you guys," Sam explained,

"then why did you ditch me," Kitty hissed,

"because you had Tyler and Johnny, Ari had no one and come on Kitty. You never paid any attention to me before Erin ran away. You only came to me when you had no better options. And it's not just true for Kitty, it's true for you as well Erin. I'm a last resort for when Rick is playing pool with Frank, Tyler and Tee, and Kitty is out with Johnny. When I joined I thought I had found something I hadn't had for years and years: friends, but none of you even like me that much. Why couldn't you just tell me to my face that I'm boring and we're not friends, instead of letting me trail along hopefully."

"But you just said yourself that we're your friends," Tee pointed out,

"you're my friends, but I guess I'm not yours," Sam whispered. They all just stared at her. Stunned to silence. "Don't you even remember Thorpe Park?" She questioned, a see of blank face was her response. "Evidently not. We were going round as a group: Erin, Rick, Johnny, Elektra and I. Then you wanted to go on Saw, we were nearing the front of the queue and they asked, "any groups of 4?" Erin you shot your arm up, and the 4 of you disappeared onto the ride, then I couldn't leave so I had to go on Saw by myself. Then I came out and you weren't there. Outside Saw. Or even in the park because you had gone home without me. You were an hour up the M1 before you even noticed I was missing."

She stopped, "I do exist guys, and today is meant to be happy but I don't want things to stay the same. I deserve better and... don't take it out on Ari, she's been through enough already."

Before they could reply Sam got to her feet and walked away.

**Sorry about long wait for chapter, first I was waiting for Zebralover4578 to upload her chapter, which never happened, then I got writer's block, then I was on holiday, more writer's block and I'm currently in Austria with my first proper computer session in a good week, so hope you enjoyed the chapter. **

**Please review/whatever, even on holiday I like getting reviews :) **

**Hopefully you will get another chapter with in the next week.**


	13. Reminders

**Chapter 13**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candyapple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing and adding to favourites**

"Form, with Erin and Rick. Music, with Erin and Rick,"

"and Robbie and I," Sam cut in,

"yeah... maths with Erin, history with Erin, then PE with Erin," Arietta moaned, examining her timetable.

"Remember you've got Robbie and I at lunch," Sam pointed out,

"thank god, I'm going to be an emotional wreck by then. Then finally PSHE with Erin and Rick.

"OUTSIDE NOW!" Gina bellowed, the two girls grabbed their bags and sprinted down the stairs. They were first onto the minibus and they grabbed seats at the front. Faith slipped into the seat opposite, and Frank sat down next to her while the Erin-Rick-Kitty-Johnny group got the back-seat and Tee-Tyler got the seats in front of them.

"Remember I'm meeting you after basketball today," Ari reminded her best friend, "I've got extra English."  
"Outside the gym," Sam added, nodding, "headphone?" she asked, offering her one, which Ari took.

"Tegan and Sara," she exclaimed grinning, then settling into silence.

Xxx

Erin and Rick walked through the playground, all too aware of how the usual buzz was silenced. They felt the hundreds of eyes drilling into them.

"Come on babe," Rick whispered, "you can do this. We can do this."

They walked into their form room, ignoring the others they took their seats. Before even a minute had passed they were approached,

"Robbie, fuck off," Rick snapped,

"I..." the other boy started,

"what do you want?" Erin asked, (but certainly not kindly.)

"I want to apologize," he told her, "for how I treated you on the first day. I'm sorry I called you a whore and such-like,"

"ooh," his cronies, Justin and Matt yelled. He turned to them,

"look guys, I don't care what you think, I don't want to be like this any more," the class was pretty much stunned to silence, admittedly he had been hanging around with Arietta, and the sportiest girl in the year, but this was a complete contrast to the bully they had watched for the previous 3 years.

Arietta walked in, and surveyed the scene in front of her, "guessing I have missed something fairly interesting,"

"you can say that again," Robbie told her,

"class," Miss Reynolds screeched, the year 10's scampered to their seats. "Ah... Mr Barber and Miss Walker, back again. I wish to remind you that attendance at this school is compulsory not optional. Even if you are 14 and pregnant."

Arietta watched Erin clench her fist, it wouldn't take much for Miss Reynolds to get punched.

"God, I can't wait till I retire, then I won't have to deal with orphan filth like you, and Miss Rosenberg," she snapped, noticing the Chinese girl had raised her arm.

"Miss," Ari said,

"Miss Reynolds," she corrected.

"Miss Reynolds, I believe you are being deliberately aggravating and that is neither professional or morally right. You are a teacher, you are here to teach, not insult your pupils and if you don't stop your discrimination against pupils in this class, then I will be inclined to make a formal complaint to the governors," Arietta told her calmly.

Miss Reynolds, paused, unsure on what to do. She looked at her pupils, then picked up her register.

"Rick Barber,"  
"here Miss."

Xxx

"Erin, how are you?" Miss Wilson, the music teacher gushed, as the girl walked into her classroom.

"I've been better," Erin told her truthfully,

"and you Rick?" she asked,

"same with me," he replied, taking his girlfriend's hand.

"Ok I will email you the work you have missed, it's mainly on our set work "And The Glory Of The Lord" by Handel,"  
"thanks miss."

Thankfully for Arietta, Sam and Robbie their seats were on the opposite side of the classroom to Erin and Rick, so they didn't need to interact with them.

Xxx

"The joy of maths," Arietta groaned as she trudged down the hallway, "I think it might be partially bearable is Miss Reynolds wasn't my teacher,"

"I don't mind maths," Sam replied,  
"because A you have a nice teacher and B you're good at maths."

"Fair dos, anyway at least you have Robbie..."

"yep, you've got me," Robbie said, joining the conversation, slinging his arm round Ari's shoulder, "just I sit at the back of the class, while you sit at the front."  
"So I can be monitored, since, as a care kid, I am evidently a threat to society and maths lessons," Ari added, as the reached their classroom.

"See ya," Sam said walking straight passed them, "have fun."

Arietta walked in the classroom, usually sat by herself at the front. But in the seat next to her place, which was usually empty, sat Erin. Ari posted a smile on her face, walked over and sat down next to the girl. Miss Reynolds stormed into the room, in her usual bad mood, but didn't make a single comment about the care kids, maybe Ari's threat had gotten through to her.

"Today we will be simultaneous equations," she informed her class, and turned her back to the blackboard and started scratching out chalky numbers and symbols.

Erin didn't talk to the girl next to her, so Ari simply opened her book and copied down the first equation.

1) 3x + 5y = 7

9x + 11y = 13

Then she proceeded to stare blankly down at her page,

"Miss Rosenberg, can I help?" Miss Reynolds smiled down at her, putting Arietta slightly on edge, Miss Reynolds didn't do nice.

"Um... I don't understand what I'm meant to be doing..."

"ok Miss Rosenberg, the aim of this task is to work out the value of X and Y. So what you have to do is cancel either X or Y out to find the other value, ok?"

"ok," Arietta replied, really not understanding.

"But since neither the Xs and Ys are the same we have to make them the same. So how can we make 3x into 9x?"

"Um... times 3x by 3?"

"Correct," Miss Reynolds beamed, "so we have to multiply the entire first equation by 3, so it becomes:

9x + 15y = 21

Then you do:

9x + 15y = 21

9X + 11Y = 13

So you would get:

4y = 8

and 8 divided by 4 equals 2 so y = 2.

So now you can sub y as 2. So:

9x + 22 = 13

Which means that 9x = -9. So x = -1. Would you like me to do another one?"

Arietta simply nodded.

Xxx

When Miss Reynolds finally walked away, Ari looked up to see Erin staring after her.

"That was well weird," Erin stated,

"I think my governor threat did its job,"  
"she has gone from being evil, to creepily nice. An improvement I guess, maybe she'll finally stop giving me detentions."

"What did you do to deserve detentions?" Ari asked,

"well it was mainly back-chatting, once told her to shove her algebra up her ass," Erin explained,

"whoa," Ari muttered,

"her face was worth it," Erin told her, turning back to her work.

Xxx

"Sam's got some team leader meeting hasn't she?" Robbie asked as the walked out into the corridor,

"yep, football I think..." they walked out to their usual spot, behind the canteen and sat down.

"So how was maths next to Erin?" he questioned a moment later,

"not as bad as I expected, we actually talked. Crisp?" she offered him the bag, and even though she only offered him one he still took a huge handful.

"Thanks," he said as he munched on the crisps, that he had stuffed in his mouth all at once.

They sat in silence for a moment, Robbie looked around the playground and the light caught his cheek, revealing what he had been trying to hide.

"What happened?" Ari asked,

"huh?" Robbie questioned,

"your cheek?"

Robbie turned away, "my Dad," he told her eventually, "he was having a go at my Mum, and I stepped in, told him to back off and he punched me."  
"And you tried to hide it with make up?" he nodded, "right colour," Ari told him, "but you need to redo it, have you got it with you?"

He reached into his bag and passed her the powder foundation,

"brush?" she questioned, he looked blank, "Robbie please tell me you didn't put on powder foundation with your hands."  
"Maybe... but I'm not a girl, I don't need to wear make up usually." Ari sighed and pulled out her own brush,

"you owe me Jacoby, I bet this will ruin my brush," she said, as she applied the makeup (which was a lot darker than hers) to the brush. She quickly covered up the bruise, then proceeded to make his face match. All the while making sure no one could see what they were doing.

"Now close your eyes," she commanded as she sprayed the hairspray over his face.

"Was that hairspray?" he questioned a moment later,

"look it, stops your make up from running,"  
"I feel ridiculous,"

"don't worry, you'll get used to it."

"Feeling ridiculous or the makeup?" he asked, and she slapped his arm playfully.

"Feeling ridiculous," she replied, just as the bell went off.

"See you at lunch."

Xxx

"Why am I sitting next to you again?" Erin questioned,

"no idea," Ari replied, "don't worry it's only about 3 lessons, not all of them."

"Missed anything interesting in history?"

"it's history,"

"good point, I hate it and I don't even get the EBacc any more."

"I have no idea why I took it, I suck at essay writing and I couldn't care less about that New Deal."

"We're not still doing that?!" Erin exclaimed,

"done it for every lesson I've been here, that man is a complete stuck record," Arietta replied, "I have no idea why I chose to do this for the next year and a half." Erin nodded in agreement but before they continued, in waltzed their supply teacher, because their teacher was evidently "ill" again.

Xxx

"You any good at PE?" Erin asked Ari as they made their way to the sports hall.

"Nope, officially in bottom set,"  
"Same," Erin replied, then she stopped, "I really shouldn't do PE it could be bad for the baby," Ari froze, fragments of her own pregnancy re-emerging.

"Got a letter?" Erin shook her head,

"would fake you letter but it would be 100% appalling," Arietta admitted.

"I'll ask Rick," Erin said, walking in the direction of her boyfriend, who had just come from French.

"Have you got you kit today?" Miss Island questioned the girl,

"Tracy, my care worker found me some belonging to an ex-resident," Arietta told her,

"good, go into the changing rooms and get changed."

Arietta nodded and made her way to the changing rooms, she walked in, not sure what to expect since she had never been to a normal school and this was her first lesson she was participating in.

She walked in to find groups of girls chatting as they got changed, most of them complete unselfconscious despite their partial nudity. Arietta hid in a corner and quickly switched her top, hoping no one would notice her protruding ribs, scars or lack of cleavage.

Even 6 months after her release from hospital she was still under weight, but she knew, especially living as a vegetarian (or as a vagitarian, even if that was just mentally, she wasn't giving any head in real life) it would take a _long _time before she would be completely healthy.

About 2 minutes after entering the changing rooms she pushed herself out and went to stand outside, where they were meant to wait. She was joined a minute later by the sport enthusiasts, including Sam who raving, along with the others about the up-and-coming football match. Sam was so deeply excited about the conversational topic she hadn't noticed her best friend there.

"Are you any good at football?" a short brunette, asked Arietta unexpectedly.

"Not really, my idea of foot co-ordination is running without falling over. I'm better with my hands."

"Basketball?" a girl nearly the same height as her questioned,

"don't like balls, can't catch them to save my life." A couple of girls sniggered,

"running?"

"can do running," Arietta told them.

"You should try out for the track team, or cross country team, ours is pretty rubbish at the moment, with a few exceptions."  
"I.E. Faith," San said, grinning across at her best friend.

"I'll consider it," Ari said after a moment, as the started being joined by more students.

She watched the students, which to her were mostly just a sea of unfamiliar faces, spread out into their cliques. Robbie with the male jocks. Sam with the sporty girls.

Arietta alone, in a too big PE kit, in the centre of the sports hall.

"Set 3," Miss Island yelled, the groups broke apart and Ari found herself in the crowd looking up to the teacher.

"Miss," Erin said, getting her attention, passed her the letter,

"ok Erin, go into the PE cupboard and sort out the bibs. Class we're doing cross country," and that statement was met with momentous groans.

"Seriously Miss, that's not cool," a blonde girl groaned.

"Izzie do you want to be doing laps at lunchtime?"

"No Miss,"  
"then I advise that you keep your mouth shut."

Xxx

**Flashback to the 10th January 2013**

_Her mind was unable to conceive what was going on, she knew there was pain. Lots of it. And blood. Everywhere. And anger. And newly found strength._

_She shoved the window open, jumped out, she was running before her feet hit the floor._

_The light burned her eyes, but for some utterly bizarre reason this didn't phase her._

_She sprinted over to the fence, crawling through a gap in it, she heard a shout from behind. _

_She pulled herself to her feet and ran._

_Where am I? Arietta wondered, as she sprinted, her thoughts had never even considered this. She just knew it was a long boat ride from China. According to her rough calculations it was meant to be Winter, but the Summer climate seem to disprove this theory completely. _

_But her mind was still working in English months, so it would be English Winter but Summer for someone on the other side of the world._

_Opposite to England, come on Ari, come on. God, why didn't you listen to Symphony she always knew these things. _

**Flashback to 2009**

"_Sydney Opera House," Symphony told her little sister, who wasn't listening, she was instead playing a movement from a symphony by Strauss."Daiyu, you're not listening to me," irritation filling her voice._

"_Sydney's Opera House, yeah, who is Sydney? I've never heard of her, so... urgh... Symph can't we just stay in England. I love The Royal Albert Hall,"_

"_not Sydney's Opera House! Sydney Opera House! In Sydney,"_

"_Symphony I don't know who this Sydney is, but that sexual innuendo was uncalled for."_

"_It wasn't" her older sister snapped, throwing her hands in the air, "Sydney is a city in Australia."  
"Oh, The Sydney Opera House, why didn't you say sis," Arietta asked lowering her violin,_

"_I give up," was the response that met her ears, as her sister exited their room._

**Back to January 2013**

"_Australia," Arietta muttered, as she ran through the barren desert, the heat burning, her vision blurring. I'm going to die. Her brain told her, 1. they will catch me or 2. they will never find me and I will die of dehydration._

_She still kept running, even though she was long past the point of running in a straight line, or even being able to see in a straight line, but she still kept going._

**Back to Current Day, November 2013**

"ARIETTA, STOP," she froze to a halt, the blurred desert became grey skied playing field. Her class was staring at her,

"class dismissed," Miss Field, Ari turned, "Not you Arietta, we're going to walk."

"What was I doing wrong?" she asked after a minute, "you told us to run?"

"everyone else had finished, you just kept going, round and round the track, you were sprinting, or it looked as if you were sprinting. It's not healthy to sprint long distance, it's a miracle you didn't collapse."  
"My body's been through worse," Arietta muttered, staring at her muddied trainers.

"Arietta I was wondering..."  
"my file is in the school office, read that, it will probably answer all your questions, can I get changed?" her teacher stopped, before nodding mutely.

Xxx

"Why were you so long?" Sam questioned as Arietta swung into her usual seat in the canteen,

"Miss kept me back," Ari muttered digging into the bowl of pasta.

"Anything interesting in History with Erin?" Robbie asked,

"talked for two minutes, then the supply arrived, and I ended up composing. I am sick to death of the New Deal," Arietta told her friends, "anyway that's boring, Robbie what were you saying earlier about the concert?"

Xxx

"Arietta it's just one more hour," Sam told her friend, "it's only PSHE, what's the worst that can happen?"  
"Um... humiliation, tears, fire, pain, hospital, death, One Direction..."

"Why would you be listening to 1D in class?" Robbie pointed out,

"that, Robert Jacoby, is beside the point."

Robbie and Sam exchanged looks, before leaving for their own class while Arietta went to search for her classroom. It was the only lesson she hadn't had at this school so consequently had no idea where to go.

Miraculously she only arrived at the lesson 5 minutes late,

"sorry I'm late Sir," Arietta said as she walked into the class, "I'm new, I didn't know where the classroom was."  
"Ok Miss?"  
"Rosenberg, Arietta Rosenberg, Sir,"

"Ok Miss Rosenberg, Arietta Rosenberg," he said, gently mocking her, "go sit next to Bethany." 

Bethany didn't even acknowledge the girl who sat down on her left, she just carried on chatting onto the right. This didn't particularly bother Ari, until she realised that she got a direct view of Erin flirting with Rick, while chatting to two guys in their form: Ben and Jackson were the names that sprung to mind.

"This lesson we are learning about something very important, and this may seem insensitive at the moment, but this is what the curriculum says, so today we will be learning about Contraception," the teacher told the class, clicking onto the first slide of the powerpoint.

"So what is contraception?" he asked,

"don't ask Erin and Rick, Sir," one girl shouted out, "they obviously don't know."

"We used protection for your information," Rick yelled, jumping to his feet, "we were always extra safe,"

"always implying it was multiple times," Arietta muttered under her breath,

"Rick did you wear multiple condoms?" the teacher asked, the boy nodded, "that's where it went wrong, multiple condoms are likely to split, so now..." he trailed off, noticing Erin staring at the table. He quickly clicked onto the next slide, and Arietta started day dreaming.

Xxx

"Miss Rosenberg," Ari snapped out of her day dream, "have you been listening to anything I have been saying for the last half an hour," before she could respond he continued, "come to the front of the class."

Sighing slightly she obeyed, and he passed her a purple plastic penis, and a small package,

"put the condom on it," he told her,

"what?! Ew... no,"

"Arietta this is important stuff,"

"not for me," she snapped,

"do you want to end up being a teen mum, with your entire life ruined, where you will always be labelled as a teenage slut?" The teacher questioned, she felt the whole class' gaze slide, just momentarily, to Erin.

"I can't be bothered to argue with you," Arietta told him simply, "so you will accept that I don't want to do it, let me go back to my seat and pick someone else."

"Who's the teacher?"

"Absolutely no clue Sir," Arietta replied, placing the penis back onto the table and sitting back down next to Bethany.

"Lunchtime detention tomorrow," he told her simply,

"ok Sir," she replied, finally backing down.

Xxx

Her after-school English lesson flew by, and quickly she found herself sitting outside the gym, engrossed in her book. Subconsciously she heard the basketball come out of the changing rooms chatting, laughing and joking.

"Please tell me the next book doesn't revolve around boys," Arietta almost begged, Sam sighed,

"unfortunately yes, because apparently all teenage girls fall in love with guys."

Before Sam could continue Ari butted in, "got a lunchtime detention tomorrow,"

"what? Why? Serious Ari?"

"I refused to put a condom on a plastic penis," she stated matter-of-factly. "I'm just going to get Mike or someone to write me a letter of explanation, play the care kid card. Anyway how's the training going?" she asked as she shoved her book into her bag and got to her feet.

"Yeah, great thanks, I reckon we're gonna thrash the tartan uniform off St Mary's, then if we win after the competition after that we're in regional competition. This could be our big chance," Arietta nodded, genuinely interested.

Xxx

About 10 minutes from the Dumping Ground, Sam finally blurted out her idea.

"Would you go to London with me?"

"Sorry, what?" Arietta asked, genuinely surprised.

"Well my Mum and Shine are buried in London and I wanted to visit them, and there is no way Mike would let me go by myself and you're the obvious choice..."

"I'll do it," Ari said instantly, "I have some stuff I want to do in London anyway."

Xxx

"There's no way you two can go to London alone, it's 3 hours on the train. Each way!" Mike exploded,

"we can stay over night," Ari suggested,

"absolutely not,"

"But I..." Sam sobbed, burying her face in Ari's shoulder, "I...I...I jjjjust wwant to see her aaagain," she turned to Mike, her face tear streaked, "it's been 10 years, I just want to see my Mummy again." Mike started to weaken, as he hugged the crying girl.

"I'll consider it," he muttered.

Later on, as Sam and Arietta sat in darkness, of the night they decided that it was a victory on their behalf.

But Ari's happiness was lost in her nightmares.

Xxx

_The truck bounced up and down the dust track, it made a change to cargo ship, but not necessarily a good change._

_Arietta spent the hours of the journey looking from guard to guard, trying, in vain, to work out where she was going. Maybe it was a massive conversion therapy centre... in the middle of a desert._

_After the tedious journey she was pulled from the truck, and her clothes were ripped from her, admittedly not a new experience for her. Chao had always been violent._

_Always equating to the month they had been married._

"_In there," one man hissed, the guards retreated, leaving her alone. Curious, Arietta walked into the room. In the corner of the room a dark skinned woman was scrubbing dishes at a tap, also naked, the 13 year old girl approached carefully._

_As she got closer she saw how the bones of her back were almost protruding out of her back, suddenly the woman spun round, stared Arietta in the face and screamed, slammed her face into her hands._

_Suddenly the woman looked up, her dark eyes searching Ari's._

"_You, speak English?" she questioned, her own English heavily accented._

"_Yes," Arietta replied,_

"_I am 9," the woman told her, "you are 10. Remember."_

"_Yes," Ari stuttered confused,_

"_you have to remember, you have to remember," she begged, gripping Ari's wrists._

"_Remember what?"_

"_Remember them:_

_Silka Steinberg, Germany_

_Tariko Suzuki, Japan_

_Joslyn Lopez, America_

_Mahria Zhariatti, Italy _

_Marinda Singh, India_

_Annette Dubois, France_

_Ana Garcia, Spain_

_Danuta Kowalski, Poland_

_Onwuazo Nnaji Adichie, Nigeria_

_You"_

Xxx

Arietta bolted upwards, thankful she woke when she did. She didn't want to hear Onwuazo's scream as they pumped bullets into her brain.

Before Onwuazo, 8 women had died that same way, all had the same experiences, only Arietta had survived.

Silka Steinberg, Tariko Suzuki, Joslyn Lopez, Mahria Zhariatti, Marinda Si...

Mahria Zhariatti.

Zhariatti.

When Sam had mentioned the composer Zhariatti she swore she recognised the name, but couldn't place it to any piece of music but that was understandable because she was her predecessor.

But she composed the lullaby.

The early morning fuzz was ignored as Arietta's brain whirred, she was going to work out who Zhariatti was, and why she composed Sam's lullaby.

**Hey guys, sorry for long gaps between updates, and I'm also sorry for this ridiculously long chapter, I have no idea how ended up at over 4000 words.**

**Anyway please review, because I love reviews.**


	14. London Stereotypes

**Chapter 14**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

"I can't believe Mike agreed to this," Sam exclaimed, for the fifteen billionth time.

"I know Sam, but please can I..." Arietta didn't even bother to continue, she just slammed her head onto the table in front of her. "Want to sleep," she moaned.

Sam sighed, but wisely decided to ignore her strange best friend.

About half an hour later, at 9, their train rolled into London Kings Cross.

"Come on Sam, you have to see this," a now awake Arietta yelled, as she sprinted across the station.

"What is it?"

"Look," Ari pointed at the wall,

"Platform 9 and 3/4," Sam exclaimed,

"which house would you like to be in?" a man asked,  
"I'm Hufflepuff," Arietta told him, and he passed her the scarf, she ran up to the luggage trolley half in the wall, and grinned at Sam as she took pictures. After Arietta was done modelling, Sam took the Ravenclaw scarf and Ari took the pictures.

"Coffee?" Sam asked,

"for that price?! No way José," Arietta replied, her eyes fixed on a board, she grabbed Sam's hand, "come on our train is leaving in 2 minutes."

Together they sprinted down the escalator and jumped onto the crowded train,

"the one thing I don't miss at London," Ari muttered rolling her eyes, "commuter trains."

"Even though I lived in London for 7 years I have only been on the Underground about 5 times," Sam commented,

"I have probably spent about 2 years of my life in London," Ari told her, "on and off, and on and off lots of tube trains. Ok, next stop is us, get ready to push these fuckers out the way."

Before the train had left Ari was pulling them through tunnels, to another train, and another.

Finally when they were out in the less crowded parts of London, they went up to the surface.

"You know, the tube certainly brings out a violent side of you," Sam commented, as they strolled down a grey London street.

"Not a violent side, I find strength. London is a place where it is every man for himself. Like any big city. Like Beijing. Not as bad as Beijing admittedly, but still it's basically the same," Arietta told her slightly smaller friend.

She stopped, realising Sam had stopped walking,

"Sam?" then she realised where her friend was looking,

"can I go buy some flowers?"

"of course," Ari told her friend, "I'll wait here," she sat down on the wall, pulling her winter coat a bit tighter. It had belonged to Symphony, and Ari liked to imagine that she could smell that the remnants of Symphony's perfume.

Sam emerged from the florists about 5 minutes later carrying a bouquet of flowers, that looked like miniature sunflowers.

"They're beautiful," Arietta assured her,

"thanks."

They began walking the streets, Sam deep in thought, Arietta working out which train she needed to catch next.

After twenty minutes they found the cemetery, Sam walked straight to the grave:

_In Loving Memory Of_

_Savina Oria Carter_

_12th August 1973 – 26th October 2003_

_Aged 30_

_And her daughter_

_Shanay "Shine" Abra Carter_

_5th April 1994 – 16th June 2011_

_Aged 17_

She knelt before her Mother and Sister,

"Ari," she whispered, not diverting her attention from the gravestone, "I would like to be alone right now," Arietta nodded, even though Sam didn't see, "I will see you at the station at 1."

"Ok," Arietta replied, walking away. Back to the station.

Onto a train. Another train. A bus.

Then she was running.

Past the Natural History Museum.

Past the Science Museum.

Past Imperial College.

She turned to face The Royal Albert Hall, "sorry Albert mate, not today," she spun round and walked towards to Royal College Of Music.

Entering the building felt like greeting an old friend, a bit odd but generally wonderful. She weaved through the crowds of musical performers, through the familiar hallways to the room. She peered inside, sure enough he was there, and surprisingly on a break.

Arietta knocked on the door, "come in," he said, she walked in and his face dropped when he saw her.

"Symphony Rosenberg," he exclaimed,

"no, not Symphony, Arietta, her little sister," Ari stated, staring at the floor.  
"Oh of course Little Rosenberg, not that little any more. So how is your sister?"

"Symphony died in January 2012,"

"oh, I'm sorry," he said, "her death was a great loss to the musical world, so much potential." His face had gone dreamy but he suddenly snapped back to reality, "so Arietta, what can I do for you?"

"Well I haven't had a violin lesson in nearly 2 years and I need professional criticism,"

"what will you be playing?" he questioned,

"my own composition, a violin solo," he nodded approvingly, Ari opened her case, quickly tuned her violin and started playing. The world around her disappeared, as the musical filled her ears.

"What's it called?" he asked when she lowered her violin,

"prelude in C# minor,"

"prelude of what? Or has it not been written yet?"

"It's the prelude of my symphony,"

"you wrote a symphony?!"

"I have written 3 Symphonies so far, the first dedicated to Symphony, the prelude was from that. The second dedicated to Aria and the third to Mia. Then I have written other stuff. Sometimes I think I never do anything but write music. I always have musical ideas, so I write them down."

"Then you are blessed, very few people can compose that easily."

"It isn't easy," Ari told him,

"no?"

"it's effortless."

Xxx

"So when can you come back?" he asked, about two hours later.

"Well my care worker wasn't too keen on me travelling for three hours to get here," Arietta told him, polishing her violin,

"I have only ever met one other person with that make of violin," he told her, examining her case, "her name was Savina, not the best composer but a true performer, famous for her duets. Possibly because of the chemistry between her and partner, they were together. She ended up dropping out of her final year to have a child, it was a shame really."

"She sounds interesting," Arietta said,

"go to Julie, she can get you some tapes out of archive,"  
"um... ok, see you soon, hopefully."

She find herself walking to the archiving room, even though she had no real interest in this Savina. But then again she did have nearly two hours to kill.

"Hi Julie," Arietta called, into the office, the woman was no where to be...

"hello Arietta," she announced, loudly causing Ari to jump.

"hey, I was sent about a violinist called Savina,"

"oh Savina, I remember Savina. We were in the same year," Julie reminisced, she ducked out of sight under the desk, before reappearing two seconds later with a picture.

"There she is, the blonde one,"

"she was pretty," Ari commented,

"she married the guy on her right, he was her duet partner, his name was James I think... yes James Carter."

At the surname Carter, Arietta froze.

_Xxx_

_In Loving Memory Of_

_Savina Oria Carter_

_12th August 1973 – 26th October 2003_

_Aged 30_

_Xxx_

"_I have only ever met one other person with that make of violin,"_

_Xxx_

_As Arietta looked through Sam's photos, smiling at the picture of Sam with Shine and their Mum, all three of them shared the same blonde hair, but that was the biggest resemblance between them. Arietta realised that Sam was humming, she paused to listen to the song. _

"_What are you humming?" she asked Sam,_

"_a lullaby my mum used to play me, it was composed by Zhariatti or someone like that," Arietta stopped, her mind flicking through the thousand composers names she knew._

"_Never heard of them," she replied after a moment,_

"_she used to play it on the violin, she was amazing at the violin. She was amazing at singing too, she was amazing at everything."_

_Xxx_

_Dear Arietta,_

_I think this violin deserves a new owner; after all it has been 10 years..._

_Sam xxx_

_Xxx_

"Julie, what was her surname?"

"gosh, I have absolutely no idea but I can pull up the data bank,"  
"please do," Ari almost begged.

The room was silent apart from Julie's typing,

"Zhariatti," she announced,

"Zhariatti?!"  
"Yeah Savina Zhariatti, she was Italian."

_Xxx_

_They fell into silence, Sam remembered how every day their Mum had taken them somewhere new, then one day she woke them up particularly early one day, they got a plane to Italy, she never said why but she hired a car and they drove round Italy._

"_Do you remember the sunflowers?" Sam asked Shine, _

"_how could I not remember? Mum drove us out into the countryside and every field was full of sunflowers. She drove for hours before we came to a small cottage, she knocked on the door but the wrong person answered the door. The person she was looking for was gone, moved away I reckon._

_Xxx_

"Can you email me the stuff?" Arietta asked Julie in a daze, "here's my email address, thanks."

Arietta walked out of the college feeling completely out of her depth. Sam's Mum composed the Lullaby, not Mahria Zhariatti, the woman who died at the hands of the thugs, that nearly killed Arietta.

Ari pulled her phone out, she scrolled through her contacts till she reached Josh Barilo, she hit the call button. Almost immediately the phone was picked up.

"Good morning Arietta, what can I do for you today?"

"Can you come to my care home tomorrow, Elmtree House, I need your help,"  
"are you ok Ari?" Josh asked genuinely concerned,

"don't worry, it's just some memories,"

"ok, see you tomorrow, I'll bring Vanessa"

"see you," Arietta echoed, hanging up.

Xxx

"God it's cold out there," Sam announced, when she stumbled across her best friend sitting at the tube station,

"it is November,"

"but this is January weather,"

"well I'm sorry Sam, I will complain to the BBC."

"You ok?" Sam asked,

"absolutely peachy,"

"you're a terrible liar, what is it?" Arietta considered telling her the truth, then decided to tell her the other thing.

"Just a bit nervous about where we are going now."

"To get lunch?" Sam asked,

"ok after lunch. How does Maccy-D's sound?"

"Ari, why do you want to go to McDonalds? You're a vegetarian."

Xxx

The walked through a jungle of grey flats,

"where are we going?" Sam asked, Arietta didn't respond, just carried on weaving round buildings. "Ari, tell me where we are going, or I won't move," Sam threatened,

"my old flat," Ari sighed, "I haven't sold it yet, I just wanted to go look at it one more time before putting it on the market."

"The one where Symphony?"

"Yes, the flat where Symphony killed herself," Arietta stated, Sam shivered, she wasn't sure whether it was because of the frosty atmosphere or the November winds.

The silence between the two best friends lasted for around 5 minutes until Ari announced their arrival to the block of flats.

"Lift?" Sam asked, as they walked inside,

"presumably broken," Ari replied, "we'll walk, it's only the 6th floor."

"6B," Arietta said, mostly to herself, when they reached the right floor. She unlocked the door, and stepped inside,

"Ari," Sam said, her best friend spun round,

"do you want me to stay outside?"

"nah, if we have squatters I'll need you to beat the shit out of them for me," Ari replied, and Sam couldn't decide whether her best friend was being intentionally bitchy.

They walked inside, no sound apart from their shoes on the wooden floorboards.

The flat itself was fairly simple: combined lounge and kitchen, a bathroom, and two bedrooms.

"Used to hide in this cupboard," Arietta told her friend, as she opened the door to the one under the tap.

"Why is the flat empty?" Sam questioned,

"after I was taken back to Beijing all the furniture was put in storage for safe keeping," Arietta replied,

"can I see your bedroom?"

The violinist nodded and showed her into the bedroom on the left, like the rest of the flat it was empty, the only signs that a 12 to 13 had lived there were the posters on the wall.

"Jessica Ennis?"

"What?" Arietta replied defending herself, "I was getting in the mood of 2012, admittedly over 6 months early, but hey... she certainly improves the room."

"Jessica Ennis improves everything," Sam pointed out,

"I know, she's just so hot,"  
"must people would say inspirational,"  
"fine Samantha, inspirational... and hot."

Xxx

Even opening the door felt wrong, even when Arietta had lived in the flat she had rarely been in Symphony's room, and when she had been Symphony had been there.

"It's just an empty room," Arietta whispered, she touched the door knob but pulled away immediately, like it was a burning hot iron.

"I..." she whispered, rubbing her eyes in a pathetic attempt to hide the tears in her eyes. Sam simply hugged her,

"you don't have to," Sam told her, taking her hand.

"I need to," Ari replied, "can you stay with me?" Her best friend nodded mutely.

Together they turned the door knob and stepped inside, the dust particles danced in greeting, illuminated by the streams of light flooding in through the window.

"Here," Arietta said suddenly, startling Sam, she pointed to the ceiling, where a beam ran, the entire length of the room. "This is where Symphony Rosenberg's life ended."

Xxx

**At The Dumping Ground**

For Erin Saturday couldn't have come sooner, while her pregnancy had caused no major issues to her school life, she could still feel the little jabs made everyone – including teachers: the PSHE lesson on Contraception, some of the bitchier girls in the class making sure they were talking about "Teen Mom," every time Erin was in earshot. What was even worse was the quieter girls would send her looks: some of disgust and some of pity. 

At least at the Dumping Ground she was still Erin, but even that had its struggles. After coming back from rescuing Tee she had started feel like less of an integral part. During her disappearance people had changed. Admittedly the younger ones were still pretty much the same.

But the older ones...

Johnny had been dark places, fear and shame had nearly driven him to suicide, he didn't want to end up being like his Mum's boyfriend, in the end Kitty saved him. Even though it was her who had planted the idea of him turning into the monster in his head.

Kitty had changed too, still the "loving" girlfriend of Johnny, but Erin was starting to see a new, darker, undertone in her close friend. When she joined the Dumping Ground, less than 2 months previously, she had been quiet and shy, but now she was bossing people around, bitching (almost non-stop) about Arietta. She was still Erin's friend but she no way filled the hole in Erin's life left by Elektra.

Sam. She could write a book on Sam. Before she hadn't had strong opinions on Sam, sure she was nice, but almost sickeningly sweet. She was like a puppy, fun at the start, but not the friendship she wanted, and a friendship that she was able to block out easily. She did feel slightly ashamed about abandoning Sam in Thorpe Park, admittedly it was an accident but it did feel good leaving that annoying puppy behind.

But she returned to find a girl barely recognisable (in terms of mannerisms opposed to physical appearance) as Sam. This girl stood up for herself, and left Erin alone, for a friendship with Arietta.

A friendship.

She hadn't adopted Arietta as her new owner.

She was friends with her.

But Erin found herself missing the attention the blonde would give her when everyone else was busy. Sam, after all, had been bearable in small doses but now she had gone, off to London (which annoyed Erin, after Mike hadn't let her and Rick go to the much closer city of Manchester.) with Arietta.

Arietta was a change in itself, the new girl, who according to Kitty was completely up herself, but seemed a decent person in real life. Even if she did spend every history lesson scribbling down page after page of music, which was _very _irritating.

To Erin, Ari was a bit of a mystery, she liked knowing about people, and all she knew was that Arietta was musical. Full stop. Then she obviously preferred having close friends to millions of distant ones, since at school she had Robbie and Sam, and at the Dumping Ground she had Sam, and got on with the majority of the others.

Frank had befriended Faith, and suddenly the boy, comparable to a brother had started to disappear out of her life. Tyler had gotten closer to Johnny and Kitty, in her absence, but his time had now turned to Tee.

At least she still had Rick, her sweet boyfriend, standing by her side through thick and thin.

And in around 6 and half months time they would have a child. According to the hospital she was due midway through May, and it was already early November. Those figures scared her, she would only be 14 years and 9 months old, far too young to be a Mum, she wasn't even 16 and pregnant.

She was 14 and pregnant.

In care.

And scared.

Xxx

**Meanwhile in London**

"The nearest tube station is through the estate," Arietta informed her best friend, Sam nodded, they walked in silence into the estate. In Arietta's eyes it was a stereotypical council estate: hoodied teenagers smoking and walking around in packs, loud screaming kids as the played on the bordering on dangerous park, mums chatting and lazing around. In her eyes a foreign type of poverty.

She was used to the begging Chinese children, the pick-pockets, the rubbish shifters; her family but this...

...it was the same in many ways, high theft rates, low income and...

"Ari," Sam whispered,

"I know," Ari replied, "keep walking."

"Shall we run?" Sam suggested,

"there are 7 of them,"

"how do you know," Sam hissed,

"their footsteps," Ari told her, as if it was the most obvious thing in the entire world.

"You know we've had it if we end up at a dead end,"

"yep, so we..."  
"so we what?"

"how good are you at cross country?" Arietta asked,

"I'm ok, how far is the station?"

"Absolutely no idea," Ari replied, "Symph always made us go round the estate,"  
"well I see why!" Sam exclaimed, "we are being followed by 7 youths."

"What happened to the tough Sam?"  
"I can be tough but not when I am considerably outnumbered by probable thugs."

"Fair dos, ok... on 3 run, 1. 2. 3," the two girls sprinted off and they realised about 20 seconds later that they weren't being followed, they slowed to a walk and turned round to discover that the group of guys had turned off the street.

"Oh, they weren't following us," Sam stated, "that's a bit awkward."  
"I think we might have been living off a stereotype," Ari commented,

"I'll agree with you there," Sam replied starting to laugh, and it wasn't long before Arietta joined in.

**Thank you for reading, I might not update as quickly next time due to school starting, urgh.**

**Anyway please review xxx**


	15. No Heating, No Electricity, No Offence

**Chapter 15**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

"This is ridiculous!" Sam complained, and Arietta nodded in agreement.

"We need to get home, we have a curfew," Ari told the man,

"look over 20 trees have fallen on the track from here to Newcastle, it's going to be all night job. So are you going to take the complimentary tickets, or are you going to get home another way," the man at the ticket booth asked exasperated.

"We'll..." Sam started, threateningly,

"we'll take the tickets," Ari told him, putting on her nicest smile, elbowing her best friend.

"What are we going to tell Mike!" Sam exclaimed,

"shush," Ari hissed, pointing to her phone, "hey... hey Mike, no... I know. The train was cancelled. I know... yes... there are no more trains till tomorrow morning... yeah... there's no need for that... we have tickets for tomorrows train... chill... Mike it's only one night, we have a place to stay... Mike that's completely unreasonable, Erin and Rick were missing for over a week and you had no idea where they were. I am with Sam, and I, unlike Erin, am not pregnant and I'll give you the address if that makes you feel better... yeah I'm sure... don't worry... of course... call you when we get there. Bye."

"He said yes," Sam stated incredulously,

"yep, come on let's get tea, then we'll go back," Arietta grabbed her best friends hand,

"where are we going?"

"back to the flat," Arietta admitted sighing, "yeah, I know it's not ideal, but I don't have the money to pay for a Premier Inn and I'm not planning on sleeping under a bridge in this rain."

"Ok," Sam said, "so what are we going to do for food?"

"Well I'm sick of McDonalds, so either we find a café or buy a sandwich from M&amp;S,"

"Marks," Sam replied instantly,

"thought so."

Xxx

"I'm freezing," Sam moaned, "at least you have a coat."

"Which is completely un-waterproof,"

"beside the point, god, I'm soaked to the bone."

"I wish I had packed spare clothes," Ari muttered, "and it isn't like I have any clothes left at the flat. I wish we were near Primark just to by some dry clothes."

"Well I only have about £3 left," Sam told her, "so it wouldn't go very far."

"And I only have £5, but I'm saving that for breakfast. Do you think we find some guys to play strip poke with, so we can steal their clothes?" Ari questioned,

"Ari."

"Or we got just steal money to buy clothes,"  
"Ari."

"Or steal clothes."

"Ari."

"Or I could pay guys to motorboat me or..."

"Ari."

"Yes Sam," Arietta said, finally acknowledging her friend,

"Arietta Rosenberg, violin."

"What?! Are in you insane, I'm not selling the violin,"

"how can you be so brilliant and completely stupid?" Sam asked,

"was the rhetorical?"

"yes,"

"oh, so what's your amazing plan?"

"Busking," Sam exclaimed, "Shine and I used to do it all the time, and your good, you might make some money."

"I see why you are predicted A's and A*s," Arietta commented, "ok, let's go down to the Underground, we're less likely to get caught their."

**About 7 minutes later**

"RUN!" Sam yelled, and the two girls sprinted down the escalators, a policeman chasing them, they quickly jumped on a train, and managed to lose him.

"We made £5," Ari counted, stowing her violin back in its case.

"That's a start, I guess we'll have to buy from charity shops though."

"What?! Ew... second hand clothes!" Arietta exclaimed,

"you grew up on a rubbish tip and now you are refusing to wear second hand clothes."

"This coat is second hand!"

"and Gucci," Sam added,

"beside the point, it used to be someone else's before it was mine."

"Symphony? Wow, someone grew up to be a diva," Sam said, half-joking, half serious.

Xxx

"They're not completely hideous," Arietta commented, examining the t-shirt Sam had picked out for her.

"Thank God," Sam muttered, not completely under her breath, "why couldn't you have been a low maintenance femme?"

"Is there such thing?" Arietta asked, "anyway come on. We still have two more trains."

Xxx

"Can you turn the heating on?" Sam asked as the stepped into the flat,

"oh," Ari stopped,

"oh?"

"if you owned a house that you didn't live in, would you pay for heating?" Arietta questioned,

"oh."

"We have no heating," she stated, "all we have is one dry top each. I suggest change out of all wet clothes, and dry them over night."

"Ok, I'll be in the bathroom," Sam said, grabbing her shirt.

Ari took Sam's absence to change out of her clothes, but she found out quickly that thanks to the British weather, _all _her clothes were soaked.

"Sam better not mind," she mumbled as she swapped all the soaking wet clothes.

Sam didn't reappear until Ari had hung up her clothes on her make shift washing line.

"I feel so exposed," Sam told her friend,

"at least I'm not a boy," Arietta commented cheerily, "only a lesbian."

"At least we have a t-shirt," Sam mumbled, trying to hide her body from Ari, self-consciously.

"Sam I'm not going to judge you," Ari replied,

"but... I... I just feel wrong, and you can see my boobs through this t-shirt,"

"you can see my boobs too," her Chinese friend pointed out,

"you have boobs?!" Sam stated almost incredulously,

"beside the point, you can see where they would be if I wasn't flat chested."

The two girls ended up laughing, the awkwardness started fade.

"Where's the light switch?" Sam asked, looking round the flat, "it's getting quite dark," she took one look at her friend, "seriously Ari? You've got to be kidding me!"

"Sorry babe," Arietta replied, "no heating, no electricity."

"Guess we'll have to use our phones as torches then."

Xxx

**Meanwhile at the Dumping Ground**

"I should of never let them go, London is too far away," Mike stated,

"it's only one night, and you know their exact location" Tracy replied, "anyway Erin and Rick were away for longer, you had no idea of their whereabouts, and Sam and Arietta are older than them, even if only by a few months. And we all know from Sam's file that that girl can fight."

"She's got a point, man," Gina pointed out.

"Ok, ok," Mike replied, holding his hands up in surrender, "I just don't want anything bad to happen to them."

Xxx

"You learnt that song for me," Erin whispered, blinking back tears,

"you and the baby," Rick replied, putting his hand on her stomach, Erin sat down on the bed next to him.

"Are we doing to right thing?" Erin asked her boyfriend, "keeping the baby, I mean, will I be able to be a good Mum?"

"You'll be a brilliant Mum," Rick told her, kissing her softly, "and that's a promise."

Xxx

**Back in London**

"So he said, "that's not how you strain tea," and then he gave me a plate of shell fish,"

"what was the guy on?" Sam asked laughing,

"absolutely no idea," Ari replied. "Ok Samantha, truth or dare."

"Dare," 

Ari checked the truth and dare app, "we have no ketchup so I guess you can't do it."

"Ok, it's your turn then," Sam started,

"that's not fair," Ari complained,

"truth or dare?"

Ari huffed, "truth."

"Describe your first kiss," Sam read off the phone screen.

"Her name was Jen, she was ten, I was nine. I kissed her when were watching high school musical, she then got cross and proceeded to shout at me before running away. Anyway you can answer that question as well, since we skipped your go."

"Um..." Sam said, looking at the floor,

"what? Spit it out," Ari pressed,

"well the thing is..."

"oh, you've never been kissed!" Arietta exclaimed,

"keep your voice down," Sam hissed embarrassed,

"we are alone in an other wise empty apartment," Arietta pointed, "anyway what are you ashamed of? The average age for the first kiss in Britain is 15 and I guarantee that the majority of people in our class haven't had their first kiss yet."

"It's just at the Dumping Ground, you have Erin and Rick who probably see themselves as soul mates, then you have Kitty and Johnny, Tee and Tyler, Frank had a girlfriend, Faith has probably been kissed at some point because she is pretty. Then there's me," Sam sighed, looking at her feet.

"I could kiss you if you wanted me to," Ari said,

"and what would that be? A sympathy kiss, saying "sorry but I'll give you the experience, because no one else ever will want to." What would it be Ari?" Sam almost growled.

"I didn't mean it like that, anyone would be extremely lucky to be your girlfriend Sam," Arietta told her, taking her friends hand. "The woman who you spend the rest of your life with will be extremely fortunate and I would probably be eternally jealous of her."

"What's so special about me?" Sam questioned, genuinely confused,

"your kind, you make people feel special. Well, you make me feel special, not like some whore passed from man to man. You are generous, honest, clever, hot and not to mention loyal. What better traits could a person have?" Arietta told her, "I mean of course you have flaws, but we all do, that's what makes us human. But in you the good far outweighs the bad, and..."

"I get the picture," Sam told her, "I think if we're not careful we'll go too deep,"

Ari nodded, pulling her best friend into a hug, "thank you," she swore she heard Sam whisper in her ear.

Xxx

"I'm freezing," Sam pointed out,

"at least it isn't raining," Ari reminded her,

"we're inside,"

"be glad, our other option would have been sleeping on the streets. Not doing that again."

"But we... Ari... what are you doing? I'm not a pillow!" Sam exclaimed,

"you are now, I can't sleep without something to rest my head on. Even if it is just a pile of sand,"

"what if I need a pillow?" Sam questioned,  
"I'm the diva in the room, you'll just have to deal with it," Ari responded,

"I'm cold," Sam piped up a minute later,

"what a surprise," Ari groaned, and a minute later Sam repeated the statement. "Sam I'm not hearing this all night, so here are you options 1. deal with it and shut up, 2. attempt to share body heat with me."

"How would we share body heat?" Sam asked confused,

"and you're meant to be the smart one," the Chinese girl muttered, "look I'll demonstrate," she moved her head off her pillow, shuffled round and embraced Sam.

"I'll keep option 2," Sam told her, "long as you don't strangle me in my sleep."

"I'm not keeping any promises, now shut up."

Xxx

"My bra isn't dry," Sam complained about 12 hours later,

"try wringing it out," Arietta suggested, grabbing her own dry one.

"And my jeans are still soaked,"

"cos their denim," Ari pointed out,

"shut up Miss Smug Face, just because all your clothes are dry..."

"well how did you expect your clothes to dry all bunched up like that?" Arietta asked, "look you can wear my leggings, I'll just wear my skirt by itself."

"Thanks Ari," Sam said, snatching the leggings, and the rest of her clothes off the line, and heading off to the bathroom.

Arietta quickly changed into her skirt, top and jumper. Fortunately everything of hers, apart from the Gucci coat, was dry. Then she got to work on her make up.

"Why did you even bring make up?" Sam questioned,

"I took on the train with me, because I didn't have time to do it at half 5 at the Dumping Ground," Ari snapped, looking up at Sam, who looked ridiculous in the baggy t-shirt she had slept in, paired with the leggings, she couldn't help but snort.

Xxx

"Where's my coffee?" Sam moaned, eyeing up Ari's jealousy,

"I'll get you one from McDonalds,"

"so you get Starbucks and I get McDonalds?" Sam questioned,

"fine you can have a bit," Arietta snapped, passing her the cup. "I'll go and get some food from M&amp;S."

Xxx

"We're on the train, we'll see you in 3 hours," Sam told Mike, "ok bye."

"These hot cross buns are so good, they would be good with coffee," Arietta commented, "but someone drank it all," glaring at Sam, who was grinning like a maniac.

"I want a hot cross bun," she said attempting to snatch the packet,

"no mine," Ari hissed, hugging them to her body, "all mine."

Xxx

It was hardly surprising when a hungry Sam and a very overtired decaffeinated Ari ended up in a fight, admittedly a sort of friendly fight but still a fight.

"Scon. Scon. Scon," Sam was shouting, over Ari who was yelling,

"Scohne. Scohne. Schone."

Because the pronunciation of scone is highly debated topic, but for some reason holding this fight on an early morning train was not very popular.

"Excuse me ladies," the ticket collector said as he reached them, "this is the quiet carriage and customers have been complaining."  
"Well you can take your silent carriage and you can shove it up your..." a hot cross bun shoved in Sam's mouth (courtesy of Ari) was the thing that prevented her finishing that sentence.

"Absolutely Sir," Arietta said politely, ignoring a choking Sam.

Xxx

It was an absolute miracle that neither girl ended up with any long term injuries after that train ride, and were still able to smile as the greeted Mike, who met them at the station.

"Hey Mike," Arietta greeted,

"Ari your visitors have been waiting for you," he stated,

"my... oh, yeah," she remembered, asking to talk to Josh and Vanessa, "officers on my case."

"What?" Sam questioned.

On the way back to Dumping Ground Arietta didn't answer any of Sam's questions.

**Thank you for reading, I currently seem to be updating crazily fast, so make the most of it before I drown under my already growing pile of homework.**

**Please review xxx**


	16. Family And Hospitalisation

**Chapter 16**

**Dear asdfghjkl thank you for very insightful review, **

"_**I don't know why you bother writing these stories, no one likes them."**_

**In many ways your review confuses me, because other people review saying they like my chapter, so I guess the only logical explanation is that everyone reviews without reading my story, to make me feel good about myself. And to them I say thank you, I also want to thank you, and you should be honoured. You are the first negative reviewer on this story, I feel like I ought to reward you with a medal. It's good to be unique and not go with the flow, good reviews are over rated, and us writers do love a good negative review, they never fail to make me smile.**

**So in thanks, I dedicate this chapter to you, asdfghjkl.**

**Thank you Cookie05 and Candy-Apple14 for their constant support of this story, it really does mean a lot to me.**

"Shall I leave you three to talk?" Mike asked Arietta,

"yes, thank you," she replied, he nodded leaving her with the two police officers.

"So how have you been Rosenberg?" Officer Barilo, though she always just called him Josh, asked,

"I have been better, lots of nightmares and flashbacks, but I've been a lot worse," Arietta replied, smiling slightly.

"How's school?" Vanessa questioned,

"I can now read," Ari told her grinning.

"Anyway we should probably get down to business," Josh stated,

"ok I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before," Ari started, "but at that... _place _there were women before me. I was the 10th one, and I have a list of the names."

She passed them the sheet of paper,

"_Silka Steinberg, Germany. Tariko Suzuki, Japan. Joslyn Lopez, America. Mahria Zhariatti, Italy. Marinda Singh, India. Annette Dubois, France. Ana Garcia, Spain. Danuta Kowalski, Poland. _Onwuazo Nnaji Adichie, Nigeria," Vanessa read,

"ok, we will contact the governments of their respective countries," Josh told Ari.

"Also about Zhariatti," Arietta started,

"Mahria Zhariatti?"

"Yes, her. The thing is Zhariatti isn't a common surname, and I know of someone whose maiden name was Zhariatti and she was also from Italy..."

"well we could contact her if..."

"she's dead but her daughter lives here," Arietta told them,

"have you told her?" Josh questioned,

"no, I only worked it out yesterday. I wanted to ask you two first,"

"that was wise," Vanessa, "we will carry out a formal investigation, and if the two Zhariatti's are related then we will make the necessary contact."

"Also our news for you, we have found some more men that we believe were part of the scheme," Josh said laying out mugshots about 12 men on the table.

"Him, him, him, definitely him, possibly him his face seems familiar, don't recognise, him, don't recognise, don't recognise, only saw him in the early months, him, him," Arietta said, pointing at each picture in turn.

"Any other news?" Vanessa asked,

"the woman I think is the sister of Mahria Zhariatti, attended the Royal Academy Of Music in the late 80's, early 90's," Ari added,

"ok thanks, right what shall we do with the plates?" Josh asked, pointing to the used, slightly crummy plates on the table.

"Follow me," Arietta commanded and led them to the kitchen.

Inside the kitchen was stood the Erin-Rick-Kitty-Johnny group. They looked up at interest,

"thanks Josh," Ari said as she stowed the plates away in the dishwasher.

"Josh?" she heard Kitty say.

"Sorry do I know you?" Josh asked her confused,

"Josh this is Kitty, Kitty Bari... oh," Ari's voice fell away, "siblings, wow, really didn't see that one coming."

"Kitty cat," Josh whispered, Kitty ran at him and pulled him into a hug.

"Kitty, of course," Vanessa stated, "your little sister."

"Sorry who is this?" Kitty questioned,

"this is Vanessa my partner in crime, or rather partner in solving crime, and she's also my girlfriend," Josh said grinning.

"So you two both live here, that's crazy," Vanessa stated, "I mean always new Ari was a good omen, soon as she comes into my life, I've got a promotion and this one," she said, signalling to her boyfriend.

"So these are your secret guests that you wouldn't tell me about," Sam said as she walked into the kitchen,

"yep Vanessa and Josh, and Josh is Kitty's brother, but I only found that out like a minute ago," Ari muttered a reply to her best friend.

"Why weren't you talking to me?"

"I was attempting to gather my thoughts,"  
"by ignoring me?" Sam questioned,

"yeah, now if you can excuse me I need to do my English homework."

Xxx

Sam and Arietta continued hanging out, but there always seemed to be an elephant in the room, due to Ari hiding her theory on Sam's family, so for her it was a relief when Josh and Vanessa reappeared at the Dumping Ground on Wednesday, asking for Sam.

"Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god," Sam exclaimed, running into Ari's room,

"what is it?" Ari asked, not even attempting to sound interested.

"You know the Zhariatti person who composed the lullaby was in fact my Mum, she went to music college, she was Italian and I have grandparents who live in Italy, and you could at least try to be pleased for me..." Sam snapped, glaring at her best friend.

"So is Mahria your Mum's sister?" Arietta asked,

"yes, wait... how did you know?" Sam questioned suspiciously.

"Cos I worked it out, did the links all Josh and Vanessa did was confirm it for me."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sam whispered, hurt flashing across her face, "how long have you been hiding this from me? Actually I don't want to know," she stormed away, leaving Ari alone.

Xxx

"Arietta are you ok?" Mike asked when he found the girl sitting alone in the kitchen at 3 in the morning.

"I can't sleep, and everything hurts... I JUST WANT TO SLEEP," Ari cried, her hands on her head, "I need my medication, but my old home took it away from me when I left."

"Why did they take it away?" Mike questioned,

"it's expensive and they couldn't legally get rid of me while I still needed them, and I can't sleep, my head feels like it's gonna gonna gonna explode I..."

"I will be back in a minute," Mike told her, running to the Office, he made his way to the phone, "Gina, I need you to come in, it's Arietta, she's ill, I'm going to take her to hospital," Mike put down the phone, quickly ran up to his room to get changed before going back down to Ari.

"Come on Arietta," he whispered, "we're going to take you to get help," with his help she was able to walk to his car, "I will be back in a second," he told her, quickly running into the office grabbing her medical file, and running into Gina who had just arrived.

Mike drove her to the hospital quickly and about 5 minutes later they were in A&amp;E, which was annoying almost completely full of drunk people.

Mike ran to the receptionist, "please can we see a doctor right away, it's urgent," he pleaded,

"you'll have to wait," she told him,

"she's only 14, I think she is really ill," Mike begged, pointing to Ari who was swaying horribly, her face blank, like she wasn't there, like she was vacant.

"I'll get some one down immediately," the receptionist said, less than a minute later a group of doctors appeared, they quickly bundled Ari away, leaving Mike with one nurse.

"Are you her Father?" she questioned,

"no, but I'm her care worker and legal guardian,"

"name?"

"Mike Milligan,"

"ok come with me."

Xxx

Mike was definitely not a big fan of hospitals, but one way or another he ended up spending quite a lot of time there. Last month he had been when Erin had gotten caught in the bear trap, and that visit revealed her pregnancy. The time before that was when Elektra was hit by the car, and before that when Rick was in the hospital with his brain tumour.

"Mike Milligan?" a doctor asked, Mike stood up in response, "come with me," and he led Mike to his office.

"Do you have Arietta's medical file?"

Mike passed the file to the Doctor who examined it for a minute, then another minute, then he called in a Nurse, and another one.  
"What is it?" Mike questioned,

"the latter part of Miss Rosenberg's file appears to be faked, it's a good forgery but they have made a few technical mistakes, which is the give away," the Doctor sighed, "Arietta appears to be a lot worse than any of us anticipated."

"Can I see her?" Mike asked, the Doctor nodded,

"follow me."

Xxx

Arietta was unconscious and hooked up to lots of machinery,

"don't worry it's mainly just for monitoring," the Doctor said,

"do we know why she can't sleep?" Mike asked,

"it's many factors, firstly she has a hyperactive brain, which has led to insomnia. Then her PTSD has led to a fear of sleep, so she is sub-consciously afraid of reliving her part so her body refuses to fall asleep, to prevent the pain. But when she is able to fall asleep, as soon as REM – Rapid Eye Movement – so dreams or nightmares, start, she wakes up. With no REM you end up having a breakdown. There could possibly be more underlying factors, but we will really need to talk to her. We will talk to her when she wakes up, we have put her in a medically induced sleep, so she will probably sleep for most of the day and when she wakes we will be able to properly examine her, and take the necessary steps to help her. But she'll probably only need some medication, so there's a good chance she'll be going home tonight."

Xxx

"Where's Mike?" Harry asked at breakfast the next day,

"I haven't seen him," Faith said, she looked up and down the breakfast table was eating, "or Arietta."

Conveniently that was when Gina arrived,

"Gina, where is Mike?" Tyler asked,

"Mike is currently at the hospital..." the room exploded, questions upon questions.

"Is he ok?"

"what happened?"

"can we see him?"  
"do we have to go to school?"

"SILENCE," Gina yelled, and everyone stopped talking, "Mike is at the hospital with Arietta,"  
"is Ari ok?" Sam questioned,

"Mike just called, the Doctors have said she will be ok but she'll probably be back by the time your home."

"But why is she in hospital?" Erin asked curiously,

"Mike wasn't very specific," Gina told them, "now get a move on, or you'll be late for school," which was met by a chorus of groans.

Xxx

"Hello Arietta," the Doctor said, as Arietta sat up blinking,

"where am I?" she questioned,

"your at the hospital, your care worker brought you here,"

"am I ok?"

"Arietta, when was the last time you had a good nights sleep?"  
"Without nightmares?"  
"Without nightmares," he confirmed,

"probably late 2011," she told him after a moments consideration.

"Before then were you a good sleeper?"  
"Well, I've always had problems falling and staying asleep, but it has gotten worse recently," she admitted.

"Well I believe that you have a hyperactive brain, which makes sleeping a problem. Also you have developed a sub-conscious fear of sleep, due to your PTSD, but we have some medication that will hopefully help. But we need to do a few tests first," the Doctor explained, Ari nodded.

He helped her out of the bed, "can you stand on here please," he requested,

"ok 179cm tall, 54 KG, about a stone underweight. But compared to your weight 6 months ago, a massive improvement. Ok, you'll be having an x-ray in a few minutes."  
"What does an x-ray have to do with sleeping?"

"We're doing a general check up on you," he told her, "we have looked at your file, the hospital have decided that it's best to make sure that you are fine in all areas. The rest of your day is going to be quite chaotic but it means you'll be able to go home tonight."

Arietta nodded, in understanding.

Xxx

"Next you are being checked out for STI's, just making sure everything has cleared up," the Doctor told her, "don't worry we've got a female doctor." He told her, as he knocked on the door,

"come in," a female voice shouted, the two of them entered,

"Arietta, this is Dr Lindsay, I'll be in my office," he told her, Ari nodded,

"can you please sit on the bed Arietta," Dr Lindsay told her, "I'll be with you in a second."

Arietta awkwardly got up onto the bed, and looked around the room, feeling more than a bit awkward.

"So Arietta, I believe that you had chlamydia, I'm here to make sure that it has completely gone, and that no other STI's such as HIV have shown up."  
"I haven't had any sexual contact, since April so how could I have HIV now when I didn't have it in April?"

"HIV doesn't always show up straight away," she explained,

"and HIV is the one that becomes AIDS?" Ari asked and Dr Lindsay nodded as she prepared her equipment, "I bet I'd be the only Lesbian in history who died of AIDS," Ari muttered to herself.

Xxx

"Sam, can I talk to you?" Mike asked, when he arrived back at the Dumping Ground, the blonde nodded and followed him into the office.

"How's Ari?" she asked, before he could speak,

"the Doctors have discovered she has bad insomnia, and paired with PTSD that isn't a good combination, but he has prescribed her medicine which she sort out her sleep."

"Will she be back today?"

"Hopefully," Mike told her, "they're just running a few tests on her, and if all is well she will be coming home tonight. Anyway your social worker has been on the phone, it's your Grandparents. They have come over to the UK and they want to meet you, all we need is your approval." 

Sam stopped, everything starting to feel real. She had family, and they wanted to see her.

"Yes, when can I see them? Saturday. Is Saturday possible? Please Mike. Please. Please," Sam begged,

"I'll see what I can do," he replied smiling.

Xxx

"_Tee, that's because I had Rick to protect me, he was streetwise and there's different types of girls. You're innocent, small, helpless. You really couldn't fight off anyone who tried to hurt you. I'm feisty, tall and I can pack a punch when I want. You really wouldn't last very long out there," Erin pleaded with Tee._

Tee had hated Erin in that moment, Erin was acting superior and Tee had a plan. And in retrospect a terrible plan.

At the time it had seemed like a great idea; hide out in a B&amp;B for a few weeks then return to the arms of her loving brother.

She spent her days wandering the streets of Lymington, thoughts running riot till one day when she woke up on the cold street.

Back in the hotel room she found bruises all over her torso, but she couldn't remember what had happened and why she was there.

Knowledge is terrifying, but not knowing is worse.

That night she stared out of the open window, at the stars, praying to a God she didn't believe in for answers.

The answers didn't find her, Erin did and next thing she knew she was back in the Dumping Ground, and the previous two weeks had been pushed under the carpet.

Because that is what happens at the Dumping Ground.

If people don't like something, they push it away and choose to forget it. Like the time Rick dumped Erin "his true love" based purely on a newspaper article without even reading it properly, or talking to her. Or the time everyone abandoned Sam in Thorpe Park. Or when Kitty pushed Tracy down the stairs. Or Rick and Carmen kissed. Or Tee running away.

All forgotten. Simply because an illusion is a lot sweeter than reality. They were rebuilding their life on piles of lies, which were not very structurally safe and no one even considered this a problem.

After all it was the way things were done at the Dumping Ground.

Xxx

"Arietta, Mr Milligan, please take a seat," the Doctor told them, "so fortunately your results have come back as HIV negative, and you are clear of any other STIs. However our other tests have discovered that how you were... tortured, has left you at a high risk of certain infections, which ultimately cause a lot of problems when you are older, and become sexually active. So my colleagues and I believe that it would be best if we operate to remove this area that could become infected, to prevent the chance completely. Of course it is entirely up to you..."

"what will the operation have any side effects?" Arietta asked,

"we are almost certain that there will be negative side effects other than a bit of pain, but compared to the pain you would go through if you got the infection it would be nothing."

"I want to do it," Ari stated, she looked to Mike, "can I?"

"What help will she need after the operation?" he asked,

"she will probably be in hospital for the first 24 hours, then if all goes well she'll be free to go home and she might need a bit of help at the start but for most people they are back to their normal self after 2 weeks."

"What date can she have the operation?"

"The 23rd of November is free," the Doctor told her,

"No, I'll miss the Doctor Who, 50th anniversary speci... I'll watch it on iPlayer," Arietta decided,

"that's fine with me," Mike said,

"the 23rd it is, we'll send you more details, and hopefully you won't have any problems before then."

Xxx

"Ari you ok?" Sam asked the second her best friend came through the door,

"been better, been worse," Ari admitted, while Gina yelled Mike into the Office.

"My Grandparents want to meet me," Sam blurted out, "I'm meeting them on Saturday, I can't wait."

"That's great," Ari replied, smiling at her friend's good fortune, "remember me when you move in with them."

"How could I forget you Arietta Tara Rosenberg?" Sam pointed out,

"fair dos, I'm pretty special."

"Special is probably the right word,"

"bit rude Samantha," Ari said, attempting to sass click, but failing miserably.

Xxx

"So how are you?" Erin asked when Ari entered the kitchen, where everyone was eating an unusually late dinner.

"The Doctor just got me some antibiotics, I should be fine," Arietta told her, sitting down at the table next to Mo, "can you pass the rolls?"

Just as they were clearing the dishes the adults appeared,

"can you all sit down," Mike asked, sounding quite serious, "I've just been on the phone to the local authority, and because of cuts we have to take some new residents. Both will be arriving this weekend."

"I'm not sharing," Tyler declared,

"sorry Tyler, we're going to having to move you into Rick's room, the boy taking your room will probably only be here for a few weeks."

"How old is he?" Sam asked, interested,

"his name's Bailey and he's 12, and I was just getting onto the other resident. I know it isn't ideal but Sam you're going to have to move into Ari's room,"

"is that really the best plan?" Sam questioned,

"it's the only option we have: Tee's room is too small for another person, Erin and Kitty already share, and Faith's room is too small as well."

"How old is the other resident?" Erin asked,

"she's 13, and her name's Jemima, and she will probably be here long term."

Xxx

"Two new people, in two days time," Sam exclaimed, "a little bit of warning would have been nice."  
"I don't think that's the issue here," Ari pointed out, "how are we going to fit your stuff in here?" they both looked around Ari's room, it was stuffed full of musical instruments and equipment, "and don't go in the wardrobe," Arietta warned.

"Why?" Sam asked, opening the doors, as everything fell out, well mostly shoes. "God Ari, how many pairs of shoes do you need?"

"They are all of my old shoes, and Symphony's, so they are technically shoes for two and I'm not impressing you one bit and I should probably shut up," she rambled,

"I can see after school tomorrow being fun, getting this place ready," Sam said, "I'm going to be living in here on Saturday."

"Tell me something I don't know," Arietta muttered.

Xxx

"Hopefully the new residents won't be like Gus," Tyler said, the next day at breakfast,

"he was the most annoying boy EVER," Jody added.

Unfortunately for them they hadn't realised that Jemima Anderson was pretty much a female re-incarnation of Gus Carmichael.

The main difference was the fact that she was also Welsh.

**Yep, I brought Jemima back, #sorrynotsorry.**

**You may remember that delightful Jemima from The Days Before Tomorrow: The Ribbons Of My Life.**

**And I just had to bring her back.**

**Please review.**

**I'm not going to apologize by the way. **


	17. Losing Faith, Losing Friends

**Chapter 17**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**And I'm currently feeling upset, I was hoping for another negative review asdfghjkl since the last one meant so much to me.**

**But hey, I'll survive. I have Doctor Who. And Big School. And Strictly. And Wolfblood. And Doctor Who.**

**Anyway on with the chapter.**

Ari's medicine worked like a dream.

A very bad dream.

The medicine would pin her down and keep her contained in nightmarish past, unable to escape back to reality, until it finally wore off and she was able to wake up.

Before, in her dreams, she had been able to run from her fears but now she was stuck facing them, and having to go through the pain and the shame, again and again and again.

When she woke up on Saturday her bedroom was pretty much unrecognisable. Half the room was filled with her stuff, and everywhere else was all of Sam's stuff.

"Did you grow up in a pig sty?" Ari snapped, as Sam ran round the room looking for her clothes.

"Well someone filled up up the wardrobe!"  
"The floor is for feet not clothes, especially not dirty clothes," Arietta yelled, chucking the dirty PE kit at Sam's head but missing thanks to Sam ducking.

"Where's my denim shirt?" Sam screamed, Arietta chucked it at her friend, who quickly pulled it on, then pulled it off. "Where's my binder, I need my binder," she shouted,

"you bind your chest?" Arietta questioned,

"look, occasionally, it's convenient, and this shirt doesn't fit if I don't bind." Sam replied as she pulled her top off, put on her binder and then the shirt.

"Which snapback?" Ari asked, looking at Sam's various array of hats, lying all over her producing area.

"I'm not wearing one, I'm dressing smart," Sam snapped,

"what?! Are you feeling ill?" Ari said, attempting to lighten to mood.

"Can you just fuck off Ari, if your not going to be helpful, can you just leave?" Sam shouted, Arietta didn't even bother replying she just grabbed her reading book and stormed out of the room.

Xxx

It was half an hour before Sam and Arietta met again, Ari was playing the piano (just a bit of Liszt) and Sam stood by listening waiting for the Chinese girl to finish.

"If you are waiting for the end," Ari said over the music, "you'll be waiting a long time, I'm only 2 minutes into this piece, and it lasts 20," she said stopping,

"I'm sorry," Sam said, looking to her feet, "for shouting at you, I'm just a stress mess,"

"Sam," Ari told her, standing up to look her in the eye, and placing her hands on Sam's shoulder, "you'll be fine, your Grandparents are going to fall in love with your face, which is scarily clean and your hair looks neat. And I don't mean you neat, but normal person neat. You really do scrub up well, you should wear your hair in a bun more often."

The sound of a car on the gravel drive sent the girls into action,

"they're here," Sam whispered, looking both excited and terrified. The door bell rung, Mike answered it almost immediately.

"Hello you must be Mr and Mrs Zhariatti," he said, "come in, come in."

The couple who entered the room were both tanned, and smiling, early 60s, Ari guessed.

"You must Samantha," the man said, his voice heavily accented,

"yes, um... hello," Sam awkwardly extended her hand and was pulled instead into a bone crushing hug.

"Aldo," his wife scolded, "give the girl a second," Sam's grandfather pulled away, as Ari noted his wife's natural English accent.

"Are you English?" Sam asked, her Grandmother,

"yes I am, I moved to Italy in the 60s, and it was one of the best decisions of my life," she told her Granddaughter, smiling. "And aren't you just a picture," she said, cupping Sam's face, "you've got your Mother's features, she was always beautiful," she sighed, smiling some what sadly.

"And your friend is gorgeous too," she commented, looking at Arietta,

"yes, she is," Sam said, "wait... did I... Ari I didn't mean..."  
"Sweetie," Arietta told her, stopping her, "you're flustered, stop talking." She looked to Sam's Grandparents, "it's been lovely meeting you, see you later Sam."

Xxx

After lunch all the residents of Elmtree House (bar Sam) were in the living room: Erin and "her lot" were playing, or attempting to play Snooker, while Tee sat on the sofa, sewing. Lost in thought. Harry and Mo were playing a board game, while Jody was eating stolen biscuits. Faith was reading a magazine and Arietta was composing, scribbling down page upon page of musical notation.

Suddenly the comfortable chatter was cut through by a lone Welsh tone.

"Hello," she said, everyone stopped to look to the new girl.

"Are you Welsh?" Arietta blurted, "Cardiff?" she guessed,

"I lived in Cardiff till I was 9," she replied,  
"I loved Cardiff, Torchwood made it awesome," Ari reminisced, "any way you're Jemima right?"

"Yes," Jemima replied, "Jemima Anderson, I am 13 and as we already covered I'm Welsh," she pulled out her notebook, "I need your full name, and accompanying nickname, if you have one. Also I require your age."

She started pointing at the residents in turn,

"Tyler Lewis, 12," he told her,

"Erin Walker, 14,"

"Rick Barber, 14,"

"Kitty Barilo, 14,"

"Johnny, short for Jonathan, Taylor, 13,"

"Frank Matthews, 15,"

"Faith Davis, 16,"

"Mo Michaels, 10,"

"Harry Jones, 8 and this is Jeff,"

"what is Jeff's full name and his age?" Jemima questioned, Harry pretending to converse with the Giraffe,

"his name is just Jeff and his 8, like me."

"Tee, short for Theresa, Taylor, 12."

"Related to Johnny?"

"Sister," Tee told her,

"ok, you,"

"Arietta Rosenberg, some people call me Ari..."

"age?"

"14, 15 in January."

"Jody Jackson, 11."

"Right, I am done, that is a basis for your personal files, I will be around to collect more personal information later. Good bye, I am now going to dispose of all glassware in this house," she said and with that, the Welsh brunette walked away.

"We've got a female Gus," Erin commented,

"let's hope that some lezzas find her and want to adopt her, tomorrow," Johnny commented,

"I'm sorry?" Arietta asked, rising to look at Johnny.

"Gus was a boy who lived here, a couple of months ago he got adopted by two women," Erin explained,

"that's not what I was asking. Why did you call them lezzas?"

"Cause that's what there are," Johnny replied,

"and do you mean to cause offence?" Ari questioned, "since the term "lezza" is generally deemed derogatory."

**Meanwhile on the other side of town**

"So Samantha, do you have a boyfriend?" her Grandfather asked, and Sam almost choked on her lunch,  
"um... no," she said, when she was able to breath again.

"Has your friend, um..."  
"Arietta?" Sam suggested,

"yes, Arietta, has she got a boyfriend?" Sam's Grandma asked,

"no, she hasn't," Sam replied, making eye contact with the risotto instead of her family.

"The boys 'round here they have no eyes," her Grandfather stated, making Sam smile.

"Well it's um... sort of..." Sam stuttered, she looked at her Grandparents, _lies rip families apart_. "Well, Ari and I, we like girls instead of boys..." the blonde trailed, her Grandparents were silent for a moment,

"la lesbica," her Grandmother whispered, to her husband,

"giovane amore," her Grandfather replied, smiling, looking at his granddaughter.

**Back at the Dumping Ground**

"I don't like what you are implying Johnny Taylor," Arietta snapped,

"look I'm only that cos people like her don't deserve ordinary foster parents," he replied,

"and you wonder why you aren't fostered with an attitude like that," she muttered, gathering up her music and leaving the room.

Xxx

"Hi Sam," Mike said, as the girl practically bounced through the door,

"when can we see our granddaughter again?" her Grandfather asked,

"tomorrow?" Sam asked,

"Sam," Mike warned,

"we can do tomorrow, we are going to a museum, but Sam would be free to come," her Grandma said,

"yes, please Mike, please," the blonde begged.

"She could bring Arietta, to keep her company," her Grandmother suggested,

"did someone say my name?" Arietta questioned as she sprinted down the stairs,

"yes," Mike said, "Mr and Mrs Zhariatti invited to go to the museum with them and Sam tomorrow."

"Yes, please," Ari told them grinning,

"Good good," Sam's grandfather said, "see you tomorrow Cucciolo," he hugged Sam, then she was hugged by her Grandmother.

"See you tomorrow," Sam yelled, as her Grandparents got into the hire car and drove away.

"I'm guessing that went well," Ari said from the door way,

"it went more than well, it was freaking awesome," Sam told her, beaming from ear to ear. "I even came out to them!"

"Whoa. Just... whoa. Wow. That's great," the Chinese girl pulled her best friend into a hug,

"and I may have outed you to my Grandparents as well," Sam added, biting her lip.

"Ok, what ever floats your boat. Do you want to watch Buffy?"

Xxx

"What do you even wear to a museum?" Arietta asked the next morning,

"clothes," Sam stated,

"no... really?" she said, sarcasm obvious.

"And not that," the blonde told her best friend, "Ari this is Newcastle, not Milan, and how do you have so much Gucci stuff?"

"Symph _knew_ a girl who worked there," Arietta told her, putting a lot of emphasis on _knew. _She pulled off the suggested outfit, "jeans or skirt?"

"Skirt, but not super slutty skirt."

"Me, slutty? When have I ever been a slut?" Ari questioned, as she pulled on a vaguely appropriate outfit.

"Never, answering that question," Sam replied, as she pulled on her baseball shirt.

"Snapback or beanie?"

"Beanie," Sam replied, and Ari chucked the corresponding hat at her.

"Dykey boots or Converse,"

"army boots," Sam told her, "but don't you even try to throw them at me."

Xxx

"Full name, nickname and age," Jemima commanded, blocking Sam's way.

"Samantha Carter, known as Sam, 14, can I go?"

"You may pass," the Welsh brunette replied.

"Had my first interaction with Jemima," Sam commented as she entered the kitchen,

"she's a total weirdo," Tyler commented, Sam noticed Ari scowling slightly as he said that.

"Sam," Erin said, "I know you bagsied the frosties, but the baby was wanting some."

Sam watched anger cloud Ari's face, who said nothing apart from dump her plate in the sink.

Xxx

"What has that poor piano done to you?" Sam questioned,  
"IT'S. HOW. IT'S. MEANT. TO. PLAYED." Arietta snapped, bashing out the melody. She stopped, "sorry it's not you Sam, it's pretty much everyone else in the entire world," she said sighing.

"If you don't want to come to the museum with me, I'll understand," Sam told her.

"I would love to," Ari replied, "I just want... I... I don't even know any more, I just wish I didn't have to face someone else's pregnancy, seeing what I will never have. Am I bitter?" she asked her best friend,

"Not bitter, resentful is probably a better word," Sam replied, after a moments consideration.

"Why didn't I get that?" Arietta wondered out loud, "did I not deserve it?"

"It's not a matter of what you do or do not deserve. No one here deserved what happened to them. My Mum was an amazing person and she just dropped dead, she didn't deserve that, just like you didn't deserve what happened to you."

"Mia didn't deserve it," Ari whispered, a knock on the door disturbed their talk. Sam opened it almost immediately,

"Samantha," her Grandfather said smiling,

"Nonno," she cried, throwing her arms around him, and he returned the hug.

"Hi," Ari said, awkwardly raising her hand in greeting.

"Hello Arietta," he replied, "your Grandmother is in the car," he told Sam,

"Mike, we're going," she yelled, and they walked out onto the drive. The two girls piled into the car.

"Hello Samantha," her Grandmother said,

"good morning Grandma," Sam replied.

"Hello Arietta,"  
"good morning Mrs Zhariatti," Ari responded.

"Please call me Lynne," her Grandma told the Chinese girl.

Xxx

"Shush Ari," Sam hissed,

"why?" Arietta responded,

"this a museum, you can't just walk around singing that song,"

"so another song would be more appropriate?"

"No. No singing Ari. This is quiet time," Sam snapped,

"Cecilia, you're breaking my heart, you're shaking my confidence daily," Ari sung, "ok, fine Samantha, I'll be quiet."

5 minutes later Sam's silence was broken, but this time by her Grandmother.

"Ari doesn't seem to be enjoying the exhibits," she pointed,

"well Arietta isn't the museum sort..." Sam responded, a bit embarrassed.

"At least she was being respectfully quiet,"

Sam attempted not to laugh,

"do you know what she was writing?" her Grandma asked,

"probably music knowing Ari, she is always composing," Sam said, smiling.

"Bit like your Mother, always scribbling down idea after idea, singing or playing her violin. Do you know what happened to her violin?"

"I got it," Sam told her, "but I gave to Arietta since she is amazing violinist and didn't have one of her own. Is that ok?" she asked, suddenly worried.

"Well Arietta is the type of the girl who would look after it, so yes."

Xxx

The 4 of them were sitting in the museum café when the question arose,

"so," Sam's Grandmother said, "how long have you two been... together?"

Her response was Sam choking on cheese cake, and Ari nearly spitting out her coffee.

"What?!" Sam exclaimed,

"I think there has been some misunderstanding," Arietta replied,

"we're not..."

"together," the two girls said together in perfect synchronisation, "we're just friends."

"That's what they all say," Sam's grandfather replied, his eyes twinkling.

"Nonno," Sam cried,

"you love me really," Ari said smirking as she sipped her coffee, Sam pouted till she saw Arietta's plate,

"are you done with that?" she asked,

"yes, it was nice but I'm full," Ari replied, looking down at the partially eaten cake which both Sam and her Grandfather went to grab at the same time.

"I'm just going to the go to the gift shop, would you like to come Arietta?" Sam's Grandma asked, Ari nodded and the two of them left the Grandfather/Granddaughter duo fighting over the piece of cake.

"Sam definitely takes after him," Sam's Grandmother pointed out,

"I can agree with you there Mrs Zha... I mean Lynne."

**Meanwhile **

Faith was running, and as she ran her worries disappeared: how she had narrowly missed out on an A in her Chemistry test, the silent feud that was slowly ripping apart the Dumping Ground, Jemima's stalkerish behaviour and Bailey's general rudeness.

As she turned the corner she saw Bailey running on the other side of the road, "BAILEY!" she yelled and sprinted out in the road, not looking to see the car coming.

**Back at the Museum **

"So Sam was telling me how she'd given you Savina's violin," Lynne started,  
"I can give it back," Arietta replied immediately,

"I was just going to say that she must really like you," Lynne finished.

"She's my best friend," Ari responded, "and the best thing that has happened to me in a long time. A long long long time."

"Am I right to believe that you were kidnapped by the same gang as Mahria?" Lynne asked a moment later.

"Yes," Ari sighed, "and I'm sorry but it definitely wouldn't have been a happy ending for her."

"This time 2 weeks ago both my children were missing," Lynne said, "now I know that they both died, along with my eldest grandchild, but in return for all the misfortune I got Sam."

"We are both very lucky," Arietta commented, "for having Sam in our life, not the other stuff obviously."  
"Now I have found her I just want to keep her, and take her home with us. Do you think we could adopt her?"

Arietta turned to face Sam's Grandmother, her face a mask, "I'm sure you would be considered appropriate to adopt her."

"The thing is we have already been checked out, and if we can get Sam's permission, then we can adopt her," Lynne stopped,

"I think she'll say yes," Ari paused, craned her neck, "are those the toilets? Yep, I'll be back in a minute."

Xxx

"_Remember me when you move in with them," _

That's what she had said to Sam, smiling, when she heard that she was meeting her Grandparents, it had been a joke.

Now the joke had become a reality.

She was going to lose her best friend, the only person at the Dumping Ground who knew her AND understood her.

The only person who she could completely rely on.

"Arietta are you ok?" she heard Lynne calling, "you've been rather a long time."  
"I'll be a second," Ari replied, wiping away her tears.

"Are you feeling all right, dear?" Lynne asked the second she left the cubicle.

"I'm peachy."

"Peachy, that's a bit of strange expression."

"It means I'm fine."

Xxx

"We'll visit soon,"

"bye Nonno," Sam replied, hugging him,

"see you soon Sam," her Grandmother said. "Bye Arietta,"  
"Bye," Ari replied, unhappily.

As soon as the car had driven away Sam turned to Ari, "what's up with you? You've been acting weird all the way home."  
"Headache," Ari lied, even though it was starting to become a reality.

They walked inside, "have you heard about Faith?" Harry asked, wide-eyed.

"No, what about Faith?" Sam replied,

"She was hit by a car," he told them,

"what?!"

"This afternoon Bailey ran away because he was going to be late for his football practice," Jemima started, consulting her notebook, "Faith saw him running and went to talk to him, but ran across a road without looking and was hit by a car."  
"Shi..." Sam started, before Ari stuffed her fist in Sam's mouth.

"She is currently in hospital, she's going to have an operation and she'll probably be a wheelchair," Jemima nodded, and walked away.

"Whoa," Ari stated, everything about Sam's adoption fading from her mind, "poor Faith, that is her running career ruined."

"Bit like my big sister Aria, who lost out in a scholarship so my parents cut her funding for her singing career."  
"Ari, I think this is a tiny bit more important."

"Not really, Faith has good GCSEs and positivity. Aria has no education, and no life outside of sorting through rubbish. Anyway loads of sportsmen are forced to quit because of injuries, and end up doing other stuff. Like Matt Smith, had an injury, ended up acting, ended up being the Doctor," Ari stopped,

"and lots don't," Sam replied, "Ari you know the good story, you don't know the other side."

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Faith's future crumpled.

**Sorry about the length between updates, I have had writers block and homework. A terrible combination.**

**Anyway please review, because reviews make me happy.**


	18. For Good

**Chapter 18**

**Thank you CamoGirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**This chapter is dedicated to Candy-Apple14 since it is her birthday today, so I hope you have a great day xxx**

**This is the second best present I could get you, since I doubt Zebralover will reappear today, unfortunately.**

It was Wednesday before Faith came home, her bedroom had been relocated downstairs and everyone was trying to help her adapt to life in a wheelchair. Well almost everyone,

"Mike, how is it fair that you kicked Elektra out when she was in wheelchair but Faith is perfectly accepted?" Erin yelled, at her care worker, still feeling slightly bitter over the loss of her best friend.

"Who's Elektra?" Jemima butted in, pen poised, notebook ready.

Erin shouted at Jemima, which seemed a bit unfair, since Jemima didn't choose to have an insatiable thirst for knowledge.

Meanwhile Faith had turned Harry and Mo into her slaves, and showing a much darker side of herself.

"You should go outside," Ari told her from the doorway,

"go away Ari," Faith snapped,

"to let you wallow in your own misery? Ha, no chance," Arietta replied, closing the door and sitting down.

"What do you want?" Faith growled,

"I want to tell you to lose the chip on your shoulder, you're acting like your life has ended."

"And you're telling me it hasn't!"

"Nope, this isn't the end Faith, the end is lot different."

"And you know this because?" she snapped,

"death. It is light, it is completion, it is final peace, that's the end. This is a lot different, I would go as far as saying that this is just the beginning."  
"Get out," Faith snarled,

"no. You have a future and I won't go till I get through to you," Ari snapped, "you have GCSEs, lots of great GCSEs. You have an education and that is the best gift anyone can have. You haven't fallen far Faith, and this is as far as you can fall. This is the worse it will every be for you. You can choose to fail and spend your life wallowing in self-pity and what-ifs. Or you can choose the hard option, do well in your A-Levels, go to Uni. Become a coach, or a referee, or sports things... um... what are they called? Physiotherapists! Become a sports physiotherapist. The world is your oyster Faith."

She turned round, Faith had put her headphones on, "so much for the inspirational talk," Ari muttered, leaving the room. Then Faith took off her headphones, no music had been playing; she had heard every word.

Xxx

"Where were you?" Sam asked, when Ari appeared in their room,

"telling Faith to get over it," Arietta replied, jumping onto her bed.

"WHAT!? ARI! That's not what she needed to hear, you can be so fucking insensitive at times," Sam exploded.

"Maybe it's what she needs to hear," Ari argued,

"maybe it isn't."

"Well I tried, maybe next time I won't bother."

"Maybe it will be for the best," Sam snapped, storming out of the room.

Xxx

"Have you thought of any names?" Kitty asked, "for the baby," she added. Erin looked up from her English book,

"not really," she replied, "Rick and I haven't really had time to discuss it. 1. School has been crazy, 2. new residents and 3. I have been thinking about Elektra a lot. It's not fair that Faith can stay while Elektra had to go."

Mo sprinted into the room interrupting Kitty and Erin's chat,

"Bailey just challenged Sam, they are going to see who is the best footballer," he told them grinning before disappearing.

"Could be interesting," Kitty said.

Xxx

Nearly the entire Dumping Ground (bar Faith, Ari and Gina) stood outside, waiting to see the match Sam vs Bailey.

"What are the formal rules?" Jemima asked, just to be ignored, "anyway, how is 1-a-side football even possible?"

Mike blew the whistle and the two care kids charged at the ball, they dribbled, aimed and shot, just for the other to catch the ball before it was a goal. Every single time.

The crowd started to dissipate, unhappy not to see the new kid getting thrashed by the sport loving blonde.

"Sam," Mike called, after 10 minutes, he was the only spectator left. Sam deliberately kicked the ball off pitch to walk over to him.

"Yeah," she replied,

"I need to talk to you in the Office," he told her,

"Bailey, rematch another time," Sam yelled before going inside.

Xxx

"What is it?" Sam asked,

"it's your Grandparents," he started,

"are they ok?" Sam said immediately, panicked.

"They're absolutely fine," he told her, "it's just... they're... they... they want to adopt you."  
"What?! Adopt?! Me?! Me like me, me?" Sam babbled, unable to believe what she is hearing.

"They have gone through all the necessary procedures, all they need is your consent and they can adopt you," Mike said,

"wow," Sam whispered, "yes," she told him, "yes, yes, yes, yes, YES! Oh my God!"

"When do you want to move in with them? Do you want to wait till the end of term?"  
"No, as soon as possible," Sam yelled, grinning ear to ear.

She sprinted up the stairs, she ran into her bedroom, preparing to tell Ari, then awkwardly pausing as she entered the room. Remembering their disagreement.

Arietta looked up and shushed her, she was talking on the phone. "Yeah, it's perfect, Matty will love it. Jay that's a promise, swear on my... L Word Box set. Ok, yeah, call me bye," Ari hung up.

"Ari, I have news," Sam almost exploded,

"not listening," Ari replied, putting her hands over her ears childishly, "see I'm listening, la, la, la I CAN'T HEAR YOU. La la la. Ok," she pulled her hands away, and lunged forwards, "tell me."

"Nope, you didn't want to know,"  
"but Sam..." Ari whined.

"My Grandparents want to adopt me," Sam replied.

"Oh," Ari stopped, "that's great Sam, really great Sam. Are you going to take up their offer Sam?"

"Why do you keep saying my name like that?" the blonde asked,

"like what Sam?" Ari stopped, and sighed, "that's great, it really is. I'm happy for you."

Xxx

"Wednesday? Like next Wednesday? Like Wednesday the 27th of November?" Sam asked, Mike nodded.

"That was the date your Grandparents suggested," he told her, Sam was grinning ear to ear,

"thank you," she replied,

"ok, now outside, you can't be late for school," Mike said, in response she sprinted out and took her seat next to Ari.

"So..." both girls said together, "you first."

"Ok, I'll go first," Sam said, "my Grandparents have confirmed the date, it's next Wednesday."

"Next Wednesday! But that's so near," Ari stopped, the reality sinking in. She was losing her best friend. Her rock. Her everything.

"What were you going to say?" Sam asked,

"oh since the operation is on Saturday I have to go into hospital tomorrow, just for monitoring... stuff," Ari replied stared down at her hands thinking about everything.

All the words she would never say.

And the friend she would probably never see again.

Xxx

"Why?" Ari asked Robbie, they were in form and not listening to a single word Miss Reynolds said, "why does all the bad stuff always happen to me? Yes, I'm nearly too gay to function, but that is a crime. Well it is in some places. Seriously God must hate me, my best friend is leaving, to go and live with her Grandparents in fricking Italy!"

"Well you still have me," Robbie pointed out,

"you don't count," Ari replied, leaning against him, "you're like my brother."

"Mr Jacoby, Miss Rosenberg this a classroom, not your bedroom," Miss Reynolds replied,

"excuse me," Ari said.

"Please keep your relationship outside of the classroom," she told them, "and I'm sure your orphanage doesn't need more babies."

"That's out of order," Rick yelled at his teacher.

"It is," Robbie snapped. He stood up, and made his way towards the door. "If you agree with me, meet me on the field," he walked out.

Everyone was silent for a moment. Then suddenly Justin and Matt, Robbie's ex-cronies stood up and walked out.

"Anyone who walks out of this classroom will be in detention for..." Miss Reynolds started, but stopped as she watched person after person leave the classroom. "You'll regret that," she yelled after them,

"they really won't," Ari replied as she left, leaving her teacher alone.

Xxx

"What is going on?" Miss Burton, the headmistress asked, as she walked across the field, her high heels sinking into the mud.

"We're staging a protest against Miss Reynolds," one girl, Shannon(?) told her,

"and may I ask why?"

"she is consistently prejudice against care kids," Ari explained, "and she goes out of her way to victimise them."

"And what do you want to achieve?" Miss Burton questioned,

"we want acknowledgement of what is happening, and suitable action to be taken," one boy, Kevin, said, everyone stared at him, "what?" he stated, "my Dad's a lawyer."

Everyone stopped, thinking, "and I will get him to organise an official case if necessary," Kevin added.

"I, on behalf of all Elmtree House residents, will be looking at suing the school, if necessary action is not taken," Ari told her,

"ok," Miss Burton said, "come with me."

Xxx

Half an hour later the class was sat in the hall, writing down evidence against Miss Reynolds.

"Is it bad I am more offended by the fact she thought I was a heterosexual?" Ari asked Robbie,

"yes, a bit," he replied, scribbling his answer.

Eventually they handed their reports to the receptionist and went to their lessons.

Xxx

"ERIN!" Kitty called across the canteen, waving. Erin made her way over to Kitty and Johnny's table,

"what happened with your class?" Kitty asked, "we heard that everyone in your class walked out."  
"Yeah," Erin replied, "we had like a proper protest on the field about Miss Reynolds."

"Whoa," Johnny said,

"what did she do this time?" Kitty questioned,

"she made indirect remarks about the pregnancy," Erin told her, Rick appeared,

"don't worry about her babe," he said, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend, "she'll get sacked soon."

"She better," Erin replied,turning round to kiss Rick.

"Does this school allow PDA?" Ari asked, as she watched them from the other side of the canteen.

"According to the rules, no, but very few people stick to those rules, and the teachers don't in force them," Robbie explained,

"god," Sam said, disgusted, "can't they do it elsewhere, and I don't mean at the Dumping Ground, I have walked in to them making out WAY TOO MANY TIMES. And once, I think it was a bit more than... yeah, it was just... eww."

"Too much information Sam," Robbie said,

"urgh horrible mental image, I feel physically sick urgh," Ari complained.

"I think I saw Rick's... _thing_," Sam added,

"as I said before too much info."

Xxx

"Good morning 8ED," Miss Jenkins addressed the class, "today we will be learning about the dangers of alcohol."

Tee sighed, taking her seat next to her friend Sophia, Tyler smiled at her across the class, Tee didn't acknowledge him, instead she looked away.

"Are you ok?" Sophia asked,

"I'm fine," Tee replied. Before slipping into her usual daydream.

Xxx

"Tee?" Miss Jenkins said, "I asked you a question,"  
"I don't know miss," Tee replied,

"I asked you to open to the window,"  
"oh... of course," Tee opened the window, before sitting down and slipping back into her thoughts.

Xxx

"Hey, Tee, hey," she heard Tyler yell at the end of PSHE, she carried on down the hallway. He blocked her way. "Tee, I was calling."  
"I didn't hear you," she replied, not meeting his eyes.

"I was wondering if you would... um... would you... would you like to hang out with me, after school, one day, any day, today?" he asked, quite adorably.

Tee looked at the boy, her age but...

"not really," she replied honestly, walking on.

Leaving Tyler alone in the hallway, feeling completely crushed.

Xxx

"Ari this is great work," Mr Priestley smiled at the girl, "you have improved massively."  
"Thanks Sir," she replied, smiling slightly.

"And I have heard that she are going to be off for a few days,"

"yes Sir, operation," she told him,

"ok, so I have set you some reading work, it shouldn't be too taxing, and when you get back we can look at your controlled assessment," he handed her the book, "anyway you should get a move on, don't want to be late for your next lesson."  
"Absolutely, see you next week Sir," Ari said, walking out of the classroom and speed walking to Music.

"Sorry I'm late Miss," Ari said, as she entered the room,

"ah... Arietta, how does "And The Glory Of The Lord" end?"

"With a plagal cadence," Ari replied immediately sitting down next to Sam.

"What's an angel dense?" one of the girls in the class asked, causing Ari the burning desire to drill her eyes out with blunt pencils.

"Ok, register," Miss Wilson said, "Rick Barber,"

"yes Miss,"

"Sam Carter,"

"yes Miss,"

"Connor Davis."

Xxx

"Erin Walker,"

"yes Miss," Erin replied, finally finishing the register.

"So today we will be studying All Blues by Miles Davis, he was an... Ari!"

"What, like knows all the posh boring music stuff?" a guy suggested,

"Arietta are you even listening?" Miss Wilson asked,

"nope," Ari replied, scribble down music.

"Ari, this is important stuff, it will come up in your GCSE exam."  
"All Blues, by Miles Davis, jazz musician, trumpeter, developed numerous new styles. All Blues is a modal jazz piece from the 50s, which contrasted to the popular jazz style Bebop, which was popular at the same time." Arietta told her, without even looking up, still writing, "do you want me to continue? Cos, it gets kinda boring."

"Um..." Miss Wilson said, at a loss for words,

"Ari," Sam hissed, elbowing her,

"sorry, but I'm sick of this dribble, it's turning my brain to mush," Arietta replied, actually bothering to look up at Sam.

"How about you go to the practice rooms at write me a modal jazz pieces?" the teacher suggested,

"thanks Miss," Ari said, grabbing her stuff and walking out of the classroom.

"Ok class, All Blues."

Xxx

"I'll look at this later," Miss Wilson told Ari, "would you like a copy of it?"

"it's a fine, I can remember it," Arietta replied,

"all..." she stopped, paused, counting, "all 16 pages of it?"

"Easily," Ari told her.

Xxx

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you," crowds sung, horrendously out of the tune, in the canteen.

"Whose birthday is it?" Ari asked Robbie,

"who knows," he replied,

"happy birthday to dear Jenny,"

"Jenny," Ari and Robbie said together,

"happy birthday to YOU!" The crowd crescendoed.

"I literally have no idea who "Jenny" is," Robbie said, as he started eating his chips.

Ari peered round,

"don't recognise," she said finally, "she's cute though."

"Who's cute?" Sam asked, sitting down,

"the girl whose birthday it is," Robbie replied.

"The vegetarian options at this school are terrible," Ari moaned, "but I've had a LOT worse."

"I've never had vegetarian," Sam remarked,

"yeah, you just eat tuna salad," Ari pointed out, "which scores you about 100 more Lesbian points. If you don't watch out you'll reach the status of: Queen Of Dykes."

"Where are you on this scale?" Sam questioned,

"somewhere around Princess Of Dykes,"

"or do you mean Pillow Princess?"  
"I'm not a Pillow Princess," Ari pouted. Robbie just watched. Amused.

"Sure you're not," Sam replied, smirking.

Xxx

"Tyler," Erin said, she was walking to reception, and had seen Tyler sitting alone on a wall, "are you ok Tyler?" she asked,

"it's Tee," he replied, sighing.

"Is she ok?" Erin asked, worried.

"I asked if she wanted to hang out with me after school," Tyler explained, "and she rejected me."

"Well maybe she's not ready for a boyfriend," Erin suggested,

"but it was hanging out, as friends, not as... you know... a couple," he said, sighing.

"Did Tee know that?"

"Yes," Tyler replied, "and she didn't even bother being nice."

Xxx

Erin knocked on Tee's door, school had finished 3 hours previously and she hadn't even seen the younger girl.

"Tee," Erin said, pushing the door open.

"What?" Tee snapped,

"are you ok?" Erin asked,

"I'm great, ok, you can go now," Tee told the older girl.

"Tee, we need to talk," Erin started,

"do we?"

"It's about Tyler,"

"what about him?" Tee groaned.

"Tee, this time last month you were kind of together, now you've..."  
"I've?"  
"You are treating him like shit,"

"so what?" Tee asked,

"why are you acting like this?" Erin questioned,

"I don't know, actually, wait, I do know. I changed. Now get out," Tee, almost snarled.

Erin didn't even argue.

Xxx

Dinner that night was fairly average; Bailey was complaining, Johnny was arguing with him in return, Jemima was explaining the nutrients of carrots, Erin and Rick were in their own little bubble and Ari was nervous.

"I hate operations," she told Sam,

"I've never had one," Sam replied, "but I know you'll be fine. You're Ari, you were born to survive."

Arietta smiled weakly, "thanks, I think."

"That is a compliment," Sam assured her, the two girls made eye contact for a second, smiled, before quickly looking away, awkwardly.

"It's going to be weird not having you here," Ari told her best friend,

"I know," Sam said, "but we'll still be best friends."  
"Yeah," Ari replied, even though she wasn't 100% convinced. The girls she had considered her best friends 2 years ago, hadn't been heard from for... 2 years but Sam, Sam was different. She would bother to call her at least once. Hopefully.

After Dinner she went up to her shared room, while Sam stayed downstairs to play pool with the boys. Ari sat in her window, playing her violin, staring at the world outside: the gravel drive, the road, the trees, the house next door with a _sold_ sign. Her thoughts ran wild, like her playing, she couldn't decide whether she was more worried by her operation or losing her best friend.

But also thinking about it, the operation is for good, but losing your best friend never is good.

Especially if it is for good.

**Again, happy birthday to Candy-Apple14.**

**And you guys know the drill please review, and if your birthday is coming up please down me and you never know, you might get a birthday chapter too :)**

**Wall With A Fez xxx**

**Btw sorry for slow updates**


	19. The End Of The Beginning

**Chapter 19**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**And OMG I REACHED 50 REVIEWS thank you guys, you are the best and your reviews mean so much to me.**

**I apologize in advance, but I have a feeling this chapter is going to be quite depressing.**

**Also I have had to change the facts presented to us in Alone, since according to the ages given Erin's Mum would have only been 10 when she gave birth to Erin's big sister Chloe, and I have a feeling this is a mistake. So I changed it. So Erin's Mum was instead 17, and her Dad 20.**

**Also this chapter does jump around a lot and I apologize **

"You'll be fine," Sam whispered in her best friends ear, "I promise," Ari didn't reply, she just hugged Sam tighter, never wanting to let go.

"Sam we're all waiting," Mike called,

"Ari," Sam said, Ari didn't release her friend, "Ari I have to go to school, I'll visit, I promise,"

"ok," Arietta whispered, voice wavering, she turned away from Sam, brushing her tears away, so her best friend wouldn't see.

"See you soon," Sam called, sprinting out to the minibus.

Xxx

When Mike returned he found Ari curled up on the sofa, picking at the loose threads. He sat down next to her,

"we will be leaving at 1, you won't be allowed to eat, but you can drink water, up until 11" he explained,

"why did they bring my operation forward?" Ari asked,

"I think they just had a vacancy," Mike told her honestly.

"I like it here," the Chinese girl said randomly, "it's home. Most of them don't really like me, but I have friends, I have Sam. I had Sam."

"Sam will still be your friend," Mike told her,

"I do hope so," Arietta replied, standing up and walking out of the room.

Xxx

"No Arietta Rosenberg today thankfully," Miss Reynolds said as she entered the classroom,

"she's having an operation," Erin explained, and she could swear that Miss Reynolds smirked. Robbie frowned, he had known Ari wouldn't be there today but he wanted to talk to her. He could talk to Sam, but even though Sam was his friend, a good friend, Ari was...

It was Ari, who confronted him, used her unintentional bluntness to tell him to change his ways. Ari who apply his make up to hide the bruises, that more and more frequently clouded his body. Ari who, in the month, that he had known her, had filled the space in his heart, where his sister should have been.

And he needed her, he needed to tell her that he was scared, he needed her to tell him that it would get better. That life always did.

Xxx

"Tee?" Sam asked, the Blonde had been giving an entry to the school receptionist and had returned to find the younger girl sitting outside the headmistress's office.

"What?" Tee snapped, scowling.

"Why are you here?"

"It's none of your business," the year 8 replied.

"_Sam?" that girl, um... the brunette with a prefect badge, had asked._

"_What?" Sam, had snapped,_

"_why are you here?" the brunette, had asked, she was from Sam's care home, Sam's first care home. And she knew that the kids there had wiped the floor with her. But now the sweet, studious kid was sitting outside the headmaster's office._

"_It's none of your business," Sam replied._

_The next day Sam was nursing bruised knuckles, as her social worker drove her to her next care home; she had punched a boy in the face, knocking out his front teeth._

"Tee, recently since you..."

"gone on," Tee urged, "no one says it, everyone just brushes it under the carpet. I ran away, and everyone has chosen to forget."

"You've changed since you ran away," Sam told her,

"I grew up," Tee replied, "I entered the real world."

"You're 13," Sam started,

"and you're 14," Tee replied, "you can't really talk Sam."

"But Tee..."

"Miss Burton is ready for you," the receptionist told Tee, who entered the office, without even looking at Sam.

Xxx

"What?!" Mike exclaimed, "are you sure she wasn't ill, she did what... but... of course, yes, I do understand this behaviour isn't tolerated at St Johns. Can I send one of my co-workers in? But... yes... but I have to take Arietta to hospital... ok," Mike covered the phone, "Gina can you take Ari to hospital?" he asked,

"what?" Gina questioned,

"good, thank you," Mike replied, he returned to the phone, "yes, I'll be there in 15 minutes." He hung up.

"Who was that?" Gina asked Mike,

"that was St Johns, Tee walked out,"

"Tee?! Are you sure?" Gina asked, confused.

"I know," Mike replied, "that was my reaction too. You're going to have to take Ari to hospital, the school has called an urgent meeting."

Xxx

"Mr Milligan," Miss Burton greeted, shaking his hand, "take a seat."

He sat down,

"Tee was sent to me this morning after she slapped a boy in her class, and luckily for you the boy's family isn't suing. But when we were talking Tee asked if she could go to the toilet, and I gave her permission, and she walked out of school," Miss Burton explained.

"Why did she slap the boy?" Mike asked,

"that's what I hoped you would know," Miss Burton said,

"she hasn't mentioned anything," Mike replied.

"Has she been acting differently recently?" the headteacher asked.

"Yes," Mike admitted, "a bit moodier and secretive, but she is a teenager so not exactly unusual behaviour and..." he trailed off, realising he had failed his job; one of his kids was hurt, and he hadn't noticed.

Xxx

Faith wheeled herself through the corridors, she just knew everyone was staring. It was her first day back at school and everyone was staring at her like she was some kind of freak show.

"So when will you be back on your feet?" one girl, her main rival in the cross-country had asked, but Faith could see past the false concern, and see the inward jubilation.

"At least I didn't have to wait for my superiors to get injured, to have a shot of being good," Faith snapped, before she deliberately ran over the girl's toes.

Xxx

"Am I wallowing in self pity?" Arietta said, looking up from the television. No one was around to answer, or even hear, her question. Her panic had turned to misery as she flicked through television channel after television channel:

_Dr V.C. Palmer, child psychologist, on how to be a good parent._

_Is it cruel to name your daughter Chardonnay? _

_Adverts for fertility tests_

_Teen Mom_

_More Teen Mom_

Every channel seemed to be taunting Ari with the children she would never have. Most days she could hide her feelings, but everyday she hurt. A lot.

It felt like she was drowning in guilt; it was her fault Mia had died, she couldn't even protect her baby daughter, yet she was able to survive.

Mia had never done anything wrong, she had never even cried. She had never thrown a temper tantrum, never begged for toy so expensive that it could put Ari out of pocket for several months. And she never would.

Ari's feelings seemed to exist together, in a painful discord. Her happiness would clash with her parallel guilt, that felt like rats chewing the walls of her stomach. Nothing good seemed to come without a balancing negative, even Sam, her best friend, who had made her life more than bearable was being wrenched out it.

Even knowing Sam was there could calm Ari, Sam's gentle snoring had burst into Arietta's nightmares and reminded the girl, that it was over, and she was safe; Sam was there to protect her.

In a few days time Sam would be out of life, and she could already feel herself slipping. Her mind was running riot, and she knew it wouldn't be too long until the she would lose the little sanity she had left.

Xxx

Tee didn't look back, she had had enough, enough of everything and she was sick... sick of everything: her life, her brother, herself but she was going to change that.

Xxx

Ari wasn't a believer in God but she could almost see him sitting on her right shoulder, while the Devil sat on her left. The Devil tempted her we treasures now lost: Symphony, Mia, Mozart, (and soon Sam). He would tell her it was easy, all she had to do was jump... or shoot... or cut... or drink... and she would be with them. Together forever.

_Death isn't that bad, _he whispered to her, _you've been there before, remembering how good it felt, the peace, the serenity. You will be with those you love forever._

But life is precious, she knows that, it has been ripped away from here so many times, that even though she knows it hurts, she knows that life is a gift. And there must be reasoning for her survival. If she was meant to die, she would have died. So she must have to been meant to survive.

Which meant something she would do in the future would have some purpose, which would hopefully make the pain worth it.

Xxx

Arietta's musing had left unaware of the time,

"Ari," Tracy said, "you have to leave in 20 minutes, is your bag completely packed?"

"I'll check," the Chinese girl replied, she pulled herself up the stairs to her room. She did a quick sweep of the room, she seemed to have everything. Then she caught her reflection in the mirror.

She took a step closer, it's amazing what make up can hide: the dark circles under her eyes which gave her face a hollow look, the bruising on her jaw and the jagged scar on her cheek.

She hated even looking at her face, like this, even after 6 months of safety. But the hospital said she wasn't allowed to wear make up, so she wasn't going to.

She grabbed her hospital bag and walked downstairs, both Gina and Tracy were waiting.

"Are you both taking me?" Ari asked,

"No, I'm looking for Tee," Tracy explained, "I'll be going out in a few minutes."

"Are you ready babes?" Gina asked, Ari nodded. The two of them walked out to the car, and Arietta looked up at the house. She had a feeling that everything was about to change, and it was unsettling, she wanted to stay but... instead she sighed and got into the car.

Xxx

"Erin, since you missed the start of the project, you haven't got a partner," her art teacher told her, "and since we are doing portraits this lesson I suggest you find a picture off Google Images."  
"Ok," Erin said, sighing, none of her particular friends were doing art, and she alone at her table.

She pulled out her pencils and laid her paper out in front of her, she stared out of the window when Rick walked past the classroom. Rick.

She didn't even need a photo, she had memorised his face a long time ago.

She started sketching, first his face shape, then his hair, his basic features, his signature smile.

"Where's your picture?" her teacher asked,

"I don't have one," Erin responded, as she shaded.

"You did this from memory?" the teacher stated incredulously.

"Yeah," Erin told her,

"wow, that's impressive," her teacher said, before leaving her alone to carry on her drawing.

The 14 year old smiled down at the drawing of her boyfriend, he was everything she had ever wanted: gorgeous, kind and he treated her so well. He would be a great Dad, but whether she would be a great Mum was another question.

She sighed, she hated the fact that she would have to have the baby fostered until she was 18, and by that point the baby would be a baby any more. They would be 3.

But she would be a good Mum, I mean you can be a good teen mum.

Then small pieces of information flashed up in her mind.

**Flashback **

"Your Mum was 17 when she had your sister," her Gran told, an 8 year old Erin. "Too young in my opinion, and your Dad was only 20. But then again your Mum was only 22 when she had you."

"Why did they get rid of Chloe?" Erin asked, looking down at the picture of her sister.

"They put her into care because they felt they couldn't cope with two children," she replied, stroking Erin's hair.

Erin stared at the photo, at the girl, only 7 (1 year younger than her) who had been taken away from her family and given to someone else.

"How old would she be now?"

Her Gran considered for a moment, "gosh, I guess she would be 13 now, wow 13," she sighed sadly, she missed her older grandchild, the sibling Erin could only vaguely remember.

**End of Flashback**

Erin wondered if it was their youth that drove her parents to drink, but then again their drinking got worse after they put Chloe in care and they had coped as parents for 10 years, before the drinking got bad so it couldn't be that.

Erin sighed, what had happened to her had happened, there was nothing she could do about that but her baby...

Her baby would never ever go through that.

Her baby would get the childhood it deserved.

Xxx

By the time Tee reached the Dumping Ground the drive was empty, she unlocked the door and sprinted upstairs. She ran straight to her room, she chucked her school bag at the floor, she was sick of this.

Sick of this person everyone expected her to be.

She flung open the doors of her wardrobe: blue, too much blue.

Tee started pulling out all her clothes, blue, more blue, even more blue.

At the back of her wardrobe she found a pair of jeans that had been ripped by accident, and Johnny had forbidden her from wearing.

She swapped her skirt for them. She found a t-shirt that was vaguely ok, but she would freeze to death in an outfit like that in the November chill. She needed a hoodie, she could borrow one of Erin's but all of them seemed to be purple.

She tried Ari's room first, but all of Ari's clothes were wrong, she was about to leave when she noticed the pile of clothes on Sam's bed.

Xxx

"Have you eaten in the last 6 hours?" her Doctor asked, Arietta shook her head, "drunken in the last 2 hours?"

"No," Ari said,

"well I guess you are all clear for surgery then," he told her.

"Am I going now?" Arietta asked,

"we have a vacancy, and you're ready."

"Good luck," Gina said, before the teenage girl was wheeled into surgery.

"Hello Arietta," a Doctor said, "we're going to this mask on you, and when I give you a thumbs up, start counting backwards from 10."  
"Ok," Ari replied, they slipped the mask over her nose and mouth. The Doctor gave her the thumbs up.

"10," suddenly a flash, Robbie's face,

"9," Kennedy's face,

"8," Aria's face,

"7," Symphony,

"6," Symphony still,

"5," Mia,

"4," Sam.

"Sam," darkness.

Xxx

It had the floor with a dull thud, she cut again, another dull thud, and again. Until she was finished.

She stared in the mirror, her DIY haircut was messy, but that was the point. She pulled the beanie over it, before pulling out the eyeliner (stolen from Ari's make up bag).

5 minutes later she left the Dumping Ground panda-eyed (but in a fashionable way), wearing a deliberately too big checked shirt, over a band shirt that she didn't even know she owned. With a rucksack slung over one shoulder.

That was the end of the Tee Taylor the Dumping Ground knew.

**Ok thank you for reading, I, once again, apologize for the jumpiness of that chapter.**

**Please review, cos reviews are love (even the mean ones).**

**Wall With A Fez xxx**


	20. Teenage Grenade Teenage Firework

**Chapter 20**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Guest for reviewing**

**Thank you (other) Guest for reviewing**

**Sorry for long uploading gaps, but chapters do take a long time, but I hope they are worth it :)**

It was 1 in the morning when Tee returned, she returned to a terrified Johnny, annoyed Kitty, wrecked Erin, an excited Jemima, Rick, Tyler, Mike, a few Policemen and Sam, who had chewed her nails to stumps, but not for that reason.

A complication. A complication in Arietta's surgery, a massive complication that meant she had been for 11 hours.

11 hours and counting.

Tee was dragged away for questioning in the office, while Jemima crouched outside trying to overhear the conversation going on inside.

"What have you done to yourself?" Johnny yelled, as his younger sister left the office. Sam just stared, Tee's hair had been cut messily, her eyes were ringed with black and she was wearing...

"hey, that's my hoodie," Sam cried indignantly,

"how about you ask your Grandparents to buy you a new one," Tee snapped, storming past the blonde.

"What's happened to her?" Erin asked, breaking the silence.

Sam didn't say anything, just bit her lip, before going up to her room.

Xxx

The blonde pulled out her shoe box and emptied the contents onto her bed; she gathered up the photographs and immediately arranged them into date order. She flicked through the first few pictures: Shine's birth, her parents wedding, Shine's 1st birthday etc etc, until she came to one of her favourite photos.

It was the last photo she had her Mum but it was the best; it showed her Mum, Shine and Sammy standing in the sunflower field. They were all grinning, all had their long blonde hair trailing down their backs, all had their blues eyes wide, all smiling, all happy.

Then there was a gap.

No photos.

No photos for 7 years.

Then next photo was taken when she was 11, it showed a pale, ill-looking girl with long blonde hair that just looked... off.

A few months later there was another photo it showed her in her school uniform, first day of school, starting year 7, a month late admittedly but still starting school. The girl in the photo was almost unrecognisable: she had long blonde hair, a grin that made her look incredibly dorky and a tidiness that had gotten misplaced somewhere down the line.

Then there was a phase of a lot of pictures, mostly of Sammy and Shine posing, and grinning; free.

Then came the inevitable.

The funeral.

Then the numbness.

But she didn't cry.

As she entered her first care home she felt nothing, like her life had ended alongside Shine's and reality was just a dream.

She didn't care about anything, she was withdrawn, until one day the numbness stopped and the pain started.

She yelled at a teacher, and got sent to the headteacher's office, when she got back to her care home one of the kids starting getting in her face.

Then he insulted Shine, Sammy didn't even know his name, he was just another care kid to her – they all looked the same – and he insulted Shine.

Sammy just threw herself at him, started kicking, hitting, and punching. So hard that she knocked his front teeth out.

That night, as her social worker and care workers discussed the repercussions that Sammy would face, the blonde girl cut her hair. Cut is so short that she could be mistaken for a boy.

The next morning her social worker drove her to her new care home, there she wasn't introduced as Sammy or Samantha; she was introduced as Sam.

And that was the end of Sammy, the dorky but adorable kid and that was when Sam's life fell apart.

Xxx

"Can you tell me what is happening?" Mike asked when a Doctor appeared from surgery, (after the Police had left, Mike had gone to the hospital an Gina had gone back to Elmtree.)

"The scan didn't show that there was already a tumour growing,"

"a tumour!" Mike exclaimed, "they said that there was a chance of tissue infection, but not a tumour."  
"A tumour, is pretty much a tissue infection," the Doctor exclaimed, "but Arietta's _tissue infection_ is fast growing, considering we couldn't see it two and a half weeks ago."

"Is it... cancerous?" Mike asked,

"it is too early to tell, but if it is cancer we have caught it so early that the survival rate is 99%. But at the moment we are focusing on removing the tumour. Hopefully once removed it won't grow back, but if it does we'll have to look at Chemotherapy," the Doctor caught Mike's worried face, "don't worry, that's a massive _if_, we are highly qualified doctors, she is in good hands. Now if you can excuse me."

Mike stood in the halfway.

And sighed.

In the last 6 months Rick had had a brain tumour, Elektra had been hit by a car, Erin had gotten caught in a bear trap, Ari had collapsed, Faith had been hit by a car and Ari had a tumour.

The chances of all those things happening, together, in one house was almost impossible yet some how it had happened.

But then again the Dumping Ground had always been... _special._

Xxx

_Jemima looked at the empty glass, "no," she whimpered, "I'm sorry."_

The Welsh girl bolted upwards, hating herself, it had been her fault.

Most people would say it was just a dream, but it wasn't, it was so much more. Jemima pulled herself out of bed, 3:54AM, her clock read. She pulled herself out of bed, pulled on slippers and dressing gown, and grabbed her notebook before going downstairs.

Everything was pitch black, and the Office was locked. The 13 year old girl pulled out the paper clip from the dressing gown pocket, and within a minute had picked the lock. Quickly she slipped inside and closed the door.

She opened her notebook, she had done a summary on Rick, Kitty, Sam, Faith, Jody, Harry and Tyler so far.

Quickly she broke back into the filing cabinet, she flicked through the files, till she reached the next one she had to do: Frank. She hid under the desk, as she started to read his file. When she was finished she put down the relevant info before replacing the file. Next was...

Mo.

Mo's file was light, very little content: his living conditions were deemed unsatisfactory so he was put in care.

She looked to the clock, 4:08AM. She grabbed the next file: Arietta Rosenberg. It was easily 3 times thicker than anyone else's file.

She flicked onto the first page:

_Birth name: Daiyu_

_Birth surname: Xifeng_

_Sex: Female_

_Date Of Birth: 1st January 1999_

_Place Of Birth: Beijing, China_

_On the 7th May 2013, Daiyu was given British Citizenship on grounds of asylum, and her name was legally changed._

_Chosen Names: Arietta Tara_

_Surname: Rosenberg_

Jemima's eyes widened as she read, she flipped through page after page. If the girl had been looking for the information for malicious purposes she would have known how exactly to torture the girl.

Instead she yearned for knowledge to... protect, if she knew everything about a person, then the boundaries would already be set out and she wouldn't accidentally break them.

Jemima slipped the file back into the cabinet, locked it, before returning to her room, to make her notes.

Xxx

Tee slipped out early the next morning, she trudged around the town wearing the clothes she had... _acquired_ on the previous day.

Using the money left over from yesterdays burger dive she bought herself a hot chocolate, she sat in Costa for about an hour. And left to coincide with the opening of the shops.

Stealing was easy really, and long as you do it right, you can pretty much steal anything...

Half an hour later Tee returned to the Dumping Ground and hid the stolen goods in the bottom of her wardrobe.

When she went down to Breakfast no one had noticed she had gone.

Xxx

"Mike," Erin yelled, sprinting into the Office, "can Elektra come and visit tomorrow?"

Mike looked up, relieved that it wasn't Sam again (she had spent the entire morning begging for information on Ari). "Um... if that is ok with her care workers," he replied, after a seconds thought.

"Thanks Mike," she replied, leaving as Tracy entered.

"What was that about?"

"Erin was asking if Elektra could visit tomorrow," Mike replied, sighing.

"Ok," Tracy paused, "what are we going to tell them about Arietta?"

"I don't know, because if we tell them the complete truth there will be mayhem, and the Doctor said it was probably nothing but if everything goes badly, we'll have a massive problem."

Xxx

The day was pretty average at the Dumping Ground, Harry and Mo played. Erin, Rick, Kitty, Johnny, Frank and Tyler played cards and chatted. Faith, still bitter, took her anger out on the younger ones. Bailey was practising football, Jemima was snooping around.

"But I want to be the good guy," Harry argued,

"but it's my turn," Mo replied,

"what is going on?" Jemima asked, notebook open, pen ready.

"We're playing spies," Harry replied,

"and it's my turn to be good,"  
"no it's my turn."  
The two boys started bickering again.

"Ok, how about I be the bad guy?" Jemima suggested, the two boys considered briefly.

"Ok," they said finally.

Xxx

"It's my birthday next Sunday," Johnny announced randomly, as they were playing pool,

"1st December?" Rick asked, Johnny nodded in response.

"We should do something for it," Erin replied.

"Not bowling," Tyler said, "I know I am sick to death of bowling, they took us 4 times when you were away."  
"HOUSE MEETING!" Gina yelled, and the 6 teens sighed before pulling themselves up and walking to the kitchen.

"Is this about Ari?" Sam asked, nervously.

"We're going bowling," Mike announced, this suggestion was met with groans from everyone.

"What's so bad about bowling?" Jemima questioned,

"it's what they do to cheer us up," Tyler explained.

"What's happened?" Sam asked, more confidently this time.

"I'm sorry," Mike replied, acting confused.

"What has happened to Arietta?" Sam questioned, stepping towards Mike,  
"nothing, she's fine," he told her.

"But she isn't," Sam replied, "if she was fine she would be coming home, or you would let me go and see her, or you would tell us something."  
"She's fine," Mike responded.

"I'll go to the hospital then," Sam told him confidently,

"no you won't," the head care worker replied.

"Or what?" the blonde asked, challenging him,

"or..." he trailed off,

"when I arrived here I wouldn't have dared step out of line, because this was my last chance and I really didn't want to go back to juvie," Sam told him, "but this time next week I'll be living with my Grandparents, and you can't send me to juvie for only 4 days, so I'm going to see Arietta." The blonde looked at Mike, before walking out of the back door.

"Do we have to go bowling?" Harry asked, unhappily.

"Oh... forget it," Mike replied, sinking down into the chair.

"Ok," various kids shouted before running off.

Xxx

"I still can't believe Sam was in juvie," Erin said, "I mean I know she gets angry at times, but not juvie angry."

"She lied to us," Johnny pointed out, "she should have told us."

The group, nodded in agreement.

Xxx

Tee slipped into Sam and Arietta's room, she was intrigued by Sam's secret that had been released into the open. She had never even suspected that the Grade A student, Head of the Basketball Team, on every other school sports team, and choir, was an ex-juvenile delinquent.

She didn't even know why she was interested but she still was, and it was only when she was going through one of the drawers that she found something that gave an indication to Sam's past:

_It's funny how people can change._

_But it is stranger when you see their darker side. It isn't a new thing, it was there before, just it was concealed under many layers: the animal lover, the little sister, the good student, the friend._

_And when all these faces are torn down you're left with a shell with a rebel's face._

_A shell with a rebel's face, or a teenage grenade. _

Tee turned to sheet of paper to read the other side:

_It's the strangest when you look in the mirror, and realise that you're that girl. _

_The girl in a youth detention centre not for getting kicked out of one too many children's homes and foster placements, but for a crime I didn't even commit._

_That girl uses my name, has my memories, and my face, but I don't know who she is any more._

_I don't know who I am any more. _

_I'm 13 years old, my life has been torn apart and so have I. _

_I have lost control, and I have ruined everything and... _

_I think I have hate the girl I have become._

_Sam Carter_

_12/11/12_

Tee read the letter about 5 times, she went to place it back in the drawer, but then changed her mind and put it in her pocket.

Xxx

"Excuse me, can I help you?" a Nurse asked,

"I'm looking for Arietta Rosenberg," Sam replied,

"are you... family?"  
"She's in care," Sam responded, "but she's my best friend and she's... like a sister to me and... everything."  
"This way," the Nurse told her.

Sam found herself staring at an unconscious Ari, wired up to many machines.

"Did the operation go ok?" Sam asked, she knew there had been a complication, but not what.

"The doctors were surprised by the size of the tumour..."

"TUMOUR!" Sam exploded, spinning round, eyes wide. "Oh God, no, not again, please, not Ari," not even attempting to hide her tears. "Is it cancer?" she asked through the tears.

"The Doctors are not sure," the Nurse said, "they have removed all the original tumour, but if it is cancer then she will have to have chemotherapy."

"Don't they know yet?" Sam asked,

"well there is a chance that it was a non-cancerous tumour," the Nurse started, "also there is a chance that it was cancerous but its removal has stopped it spreading. However, there is also the chance that it has already spread and she will have to have chemo."  
"But... why didn't they see the tumour on the scan?" Sam asked, "I thought the operation was a precaution."

"It was," the Nurse responded,

"so are you saying that the tumour has only appeared in the last 2 weeks?" Sam asked, the Nurse nodded, Sam sunk her face into her hands.

"But they caught it early," the Nurse pointed out, "there is a 99% chance she'll be fine."  
"And there's a 1% chance she won't," Sam snapped, "I'm sorry," she replied, voice softening, "can we have a few minutes alone."

"You can have 5 minutes," the Nurse replied.

When the Nurse left the room Sam sat down next to Ari, and took her best friend's hand.

"Hi... I mean I... I mean... I don't know," Sam sighed, carefully making sure she didn't disturb any of Ari's pipes. She looked her best friend up and down, she looked younger, and the white made the scars and bruises more apparent.

Sometimes Sam forget Arietta was just a girl, it was hard not to, that girl was like a... firework, a teenage firework, lighting up the skies and making everything seem magical. Admittedly fireworks do hurt people but so do humans, and Ari was human. A human that had been through too much, but she still had her shine, her sparkle, that... thing that made her special.

That made her Ari.

"I'm not going to make an emotional speech about hanging on because I know you would just point out that you have terrible upper-body strength. You're strong Ari, stronger than anyone I have ever met. You carried on where both Symphony and Shine gave up, and I'm so glad you did. Yes, you may be loud, and opinionated, and blunt but you are still the best thing that I have ever found. You're the first person who has actually liked me for being... me, no one is paying you to, well I hope no one is paying you to. And you're not family. Well you are now. I may have my Grandparents now, but I had you first, and just because I have them doesn't mean I don't need you. Because I do. I always will do."

Sam stopped pausing to wipe her tears, "and one day I'm going to show you how much you mean to me. Properly. Not just by monologuing in a hospital ward."

"Time's up," the Nurse told her, before retreating outside again,

"this is not the end Arietta Tara Rosenberg," Sam told her, sniffing, and not even bothering to wipe away the tears, "that's a promise."

Before Sam knew what she was doing she had leant over and pressed a kiss against Ari's unresponsive lips, she pulled away and brushed back Arietta's hair.

"I need you Ari," Sam whispered, before walking out of the room.


	21. Conclusions, Delusions and Research

**Chapter 21**

**Thank you Lady Candy-Apple14 Of Toilet Paper for reviewing**

**Thank you CamoGirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing, and pointing out my error, I will try and rectify it in this chapter.**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for your review on chapter 9**

**Sorry that this chapter is short. It just seemed like a good place to finish it.**

_Full Name: "Johnny" Jonathan William Taylor_

_Date Of Birth: 1st December 1999_

_Ethnic Background: White British_

_Taken Into Care: 16th February 2006 (Aged 6)_

_Reason: Abusive Step-Father_

Jemima looked up, from the notes she was copying. She looked at the clock, it was only 3:25AM, no one would be awake yet.

Quickly she placed the file back into the cabinet before sneaking out of the office, straight into someone.

Jemima jumped up and shone her torch at the intruder, _Tee._

"Did you just come in?" Jemima asked, though the answer was apparent.

"What were you doing in the Office?" Tee replied, she stopped, "actually I don't care, but you tell anyone I was out and you're done," she threatened.

"Ok," Jemima replied, "I didn't see you, and you didn't see me. Deal?"

"Deal," Tee snapped, storming upstairs. Jemima didn't say anything, just flipped up Tee's page, which she had just been about to update. Jemima wrote:

_Came home at 3:25AM on Sunday 24th November 2013, drunk._

Xxx

Erin sighed, she hated morning sickness, she sipped the water, trying to wash away the foul taste.

According to her pregnancy books the morning sickness would stop after 3 or 4 months, and she had just hit 3 months so it wouldn't last much longer. Hopefully.

"How are you feeling?" Kitty asked, when the older girl entered their bedroom.  
"Terrible," Erin replied, "I am sick of feeling like this."

"Well at least you'll be seeing Elektra today," Kitty reminded her, and Erin started grinning.

"How could I forget?" Erin asked rhetorically, grinning from ear to ear, the darkness disappearing immediately.

Xxx

"ELEKTRA!" Erin yelled, pulling her best friend into a hug. The two of them went into the living room,

"so what has been going on?" Elektra asked, smiling.

"Well after finding out I was pregnant there ended up being a divide in the Dumping Ground, which led to conflict between Tee and Johnny since they were on different sides, then Johnny slapped Tee, and she ran away. Me and Rick went after Tee, and we found her," Erin told her best friend, "then we came back, went back to school where everyone knew about me being pregnant because Arietta told them."  
"Arietta?" Elektra asked,

"new girl," Erin responded, "then we got Jemima and Bailey, then Faith was hit by a car, and now Ari's hospital."

"Faith was hit by a car?!" Elektra exclaimed, her own accident flashing behind her eyes.

"Yeah, she's now in a wheelchair," Erin replied,

"and she's still here?" the older girl asked.  
"Yeah." 

Elektra wheeled her way back to the Office and barged in.

"How is it fair that you kick me out but keep Faith?!" she yelled at Mike.

"Elektra..." Mike started.

"we're going to have to move you to a specialist disability home, as we don't have the physicality's or care workers to be able to let you stay here," Elektra quoted, "you got rid of me because you couldn't look after me, but you can look after Faith?" She shouted, angrily. "This was my home and I loved it, but you kicked me out. Yet, you can keep Miss Fucking-Perfect Faith Davis."

"Elektra, Faith will only be in a wheelchair for a few weeks, but it could be years for you," Mike explained.

Elektra didn't respond, she just wheeled herself out of the door.

"Come on," Erin said, (almost patronisingly), "let's go outside."

Xxx

"Tee?" Johnny asked knocking on her door, no response. "Tee?" he repeated, still no response. He opened the door nervously. He opened the door and sighed a sigh of relief. She was asleep.

He walked over to her, and went to shake her awake when he saw her. Her face was smudged with makeup, her breath stunk of alcohol, she had been sick over the duvet, and she was wearing the type of outfit, that only the sluttiest girls in his year wore.

And worse a bite on her neck.

Johnny backed away, blood boiling, unable to form coherent thoughts.

Until the words that he had said to her, over a month ago appeared in his head:

"_A few days with them and they've already tried to brainwash you into becoming a rebel, you're be acting up in class and getting into fights next just like her!"_

It was Erin's fault.

Xxx

"It's your fault," Johnny yelled, Erin looked up from her conversation with Elektra. Rick (who had joined them) stood up, to face the younger boy. "You have brainwashed her," he shouted, I told you it would happen.

"What has happened?" Elektra asked,

"Tee, you've corrupted her," Johnny yelled at Erin.

"We got her back for you," she screamed in return, "because you treated her like shit."

"You changed her," he shouted,

"she stood up for herself," Erin replied,

"she rebelled, and it has now got worse."  
"Because you are so oppressive, just like a dictator, or your Step-Dad."

Johnny stopped,

"what's going on?" Kitty asked, walking over to her friends.

"Johnny is convinced with have brainwashed Tee," Erin explained,

"she has changed since she sided with you, so it is your fault," Johnny shouted.

"No, she changed after she ran away. And who did she run away from?" Erin yelled back.

"It was because of YOUR pregnancy," Johnny replied.

Kitty stood, frozen. Looking between her best friend and her boyfriend.

Xxx

Tee stuffed her duvet cover in the washing machine, before setting it off. She heard shouting coming from outside, she peered through the blinds, wincing at the light. In the garden Johnny, Kitty, Erin and Rick were all shouting.

"Tee," Tyler said, Tee turned to face the boy.

"What?" she demanded, unable to think due to the brain fog.

"What has happened to you?" he asked,

"wha... wha... what do you care?"

"What's that on your neck?"

"It's none of your fucking business," Tee snapped,

"Tee, don't do this," Tyler started. Tee sighed,

"what?" she demanded, "do what?"

He was silent, biting his lip, unable to meet her eyes.

She started to walk away,

"Tee," he called after her, she ignored him, "I..." Tee turned round, "I love you."

Tee paused, thinking. "I..." she started, she stopped. "You're 12," she snapped, "you don't know what love is. And you think I would like someone like you?" She scoffed, "you're deluded."

She stomped away, her (stolen) Doc Marten boots stamping on Tyler's heart.

Smashing it to pieces.

**Please review, I love reviews **


	22. Thoughts, Fights and Sisters

**Chapter 22**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing on the last chapter, and chapter 16**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Guest for reviewing, and your constructive criticism hopefully this chapter will be more true to Johnny's character.**

**Sorry for the delays, just had a really busy week as well as suddenly developing an urge to write a Faith/Elektra fanfic.**

_I kissed Ari, I kissed Arietta Rosenberg. And she was unconscious. Is that weird? Well it isn't like I threw myself at her. And it was a friendly kiss. Not in an "I want to jump you" way. Because I'm not attracted to Ari, even those she is really cute, and looks really good in short skirts, and that is beside the point Samantha Rosenberg... CARTER. My surname is Carter, not Rosenberg. _

_And I'm talking to myself, well I say talking, it's more like... are we having spaghetti for lunch? Mmm, smells like it. Focus Sam, I was thinking about... no... wasn't thinking about Doctor Who. Or how cute Clara Oswald is. No, Ari. Was she meant to taste all... surgical? Well I suppose she had been in surgery. Interesting first kiss, not that I didn't like it, not in a creepy way. Oh, I am having too many thoughts, is it spaghetti? I could go down to the kitchen and ask, but Tracy's cooking and she'll drag me into it and... wait what time does the football match start? 3? Better Google it..._

"Sam."

The blonde jumped, snapping out of her thoughts, "um... yes... hello... Jody."

"Are you ok?" she asked,

"of course I am, why wouldn't I be ok?" Sam asked,

"because your playing your weird music REALLY loud,"

"it's not my weird music, it's Ari's and it isn't weird it's the Four Seasons. Le Quattro Stagioni, that is it in Italian. Because Vivaldi was Italian... I think... ask Ari, she would know."  
"Weirdo," Jody muttered before stomping away. Sam switched off the music.

Sam stood still for a minute, before Googling Vivaldi.

She was right.

He was Italian. Just like her Nonno.

The name Arietta was also Italian.

Xxx

When Tee was 2 their Dad left, just packed his bags and disappeared. Immediately he was replaced by Keith. Keith was nice at first, he tried but he finally snapped after 4 months.

Tee had had an ear infection, and was crying, and crying, and crying.

"_Can't you shut her up?" he yelled at their Mum, _

"_ssshh," Johnny whispered to his little sister. He was 3._

"_The Doctor told us it will pass..." their Mum stuttered,_

"_when will it pass?" Keith roared, "tonight? Tomorrow? Next week? Next year? When will that fucking kid stop screaming?!"_

"_Don't swear," their Mum warned, her voice small._

"_Or what? What will YOU do?"_

"_Let's go upstairs," Johnny whispered to his wailing sister, taking her hand._

"_Stop screaming or..." Keith snapped,_

"_or what?"_

"_I'll give her something to scream about."  
_

Long story short, Tee didn't stop screaming and their Mum had to say that the bruises were from the Play park, because Tee had fallen off the climbing frame.

From that day on Johnny vowed to protect Tee.

And he failed.

Time and time again.

The day Tee got blamed for a mug that he had broken.

The day Keith broke Tee's arm.

The day at the beach when the tide was coming in, and Tee was buried and only just rescued her. It was his fault that she had even been in that danger.

The numerous times he had pushed her away, thinking it was for her own good.

The day he pushed too far and she ran away.

And now he was losing her again.

Xxx

Johnny hit the 1 on his phone, and dialled again. Voicemail. "Tee, please," he begged, "where are you?"

He hung up. He pulled on his hoodie,

"I'm going out," he called, sprinting out of the door. He needed to find Tee. She was the only thing he had left.

"_Erin," Kitty stated, "I choose Erin," she turned her back on Johnny._

He had lost Kitty just like that. She didn't even have to think about dumping him, it was an immediate reaction, and for her, a very easy one to make. As easy as choosing between a ham or cheese sandwich for a vegetarian.

Xxx

"Want some beer? Babe," Si asked, he was 17 with snakebites, he swung his arm round Tee.

"Do you even need to ask?" Tee replied, taking the can off him and leaning into him.

"So you're like 16 right?" a tattooed guy asked Tee,

"yeah," she lied, taking a swig of beer, as if that would prove her age.

"Why have we like never seen ya before?" a girl asked, before exhaling a cloud of smoke.

"New in the area," Tee replied immediately, wondering if living a place for over 7 years counted as new.

"Ciggie?" a guy asked, Tee hesitated, _smoking is bad,_ the message drilled into you from the moment you start school.

"Um..." she started, the group of (much older) teenagers turned to stare at her. "Yeah, why not?"

The guy passed her the cigarette, she put it to her lips, the group watched interestedly. She inhaled, and spluttered. The group, apart from Si, laughed.

"Guessing you never smoked before," a blue haired girl said, smiling.

"Not really," Tee muttered,

"have another go," the girl urged her, and Si smiled encouragingly.

Xxx

Even though her life had of power playing had ended, Sam still felt inclined to lock eyes with everyone on the street. Just to let them know (in case they didn't already know) that she was butch in the streets.

Her head was high, her feet booted and her leather jacket, that even though she was A grade student was still a sign of rebellion.

She was coming back from the hospital, she hadn't seen Arietta, but had been assured that her... best friend was ok and that there was no sign of the tumour. But they needed to monitor her for a bit longer before she could be released.

And Sam was... happy? No... not quite happy more... satisfied. But...

The reality suddenly hit her in a sharp blow. It was Sunday. She was moving in with her Grandparents on Wednesday. She might never see Ari again. She froze.

She couldn't let Ari slip out of her life, Ari was...

Xxx

He couldn't let Tee slip out of his life, Tee was...

Xxx

Ari was everything.

Xxx

Tee was everything.

And she was smoking.

Johnny paused momentarily, unable to take in the scene in front of him: a group of about 8 teenagers. Tattooed guys, tattooed girls, who all shared the rough "I am school drop out," look. And then there was Tee, tiny and helpless, in need of protection from... _them_.

Before he had considered the options he was striding towards the group, "Tee," he said, his younger sister, sighed.

"What?" she demanded.

"Who's this?" a boy asked,

"I'm her brother," Johnny declared,

"look mate," Si said standing up, Tee stood up as well.

"Tee," Johnny repeated.

"Look you can't tell her what to do." Si snapped, taking a step towards Johnny, "she's 16, she's old enough to make her own decisions. She certainly doesn't need her little brothers rules."

"16?" Johnny questioned, "Tee's 13."

The group stopped silent, before getting up, they turned to walk away.

"We'll talk later Johnny," Tee spat, going to walk away.

"Sorry," a tattooed guy said, "we don't hang with kids." The group laughed before strutting away, Si was left with Tee and Johnny.

"It was fun Tee, but you're too young," Si said, quickly kissing her on the cheek.

"But we..." Tee whispered, heart broken.

"Sorry kid," Si replied, he turned to walk away.

Johnny tapped his shoulder, Si spun around and his face was met with Johnny's fist.

Si stared stunned, he felt his noise gingerly, wincing. "Tee, you're cute but your brother is a fucking psycho."

He walked away, Tee stared after him.  
"You know what?" Tee snapped, "he's right," and she stomped away in the opposite direction.

Johnny stood staring after his sister, "nice left hook," he jumped, he found himself facing Sam.

"Sam," he snapped,

"sorry," she replied sighing, "you should get an ice pack on your hand," she said a moment later, "you shouldn't punch people that hard without gloves."

"Gloves?" Johnny asked,

"boxing gloves," Sam replied.

"I don't do boxing," Johnny told her,

"I do, you should try it out some time," Sam commented, "if Kitty doesn't mind."

"We broke up," Johnny stated.

"What? When?"

"About an hour ago,"

"I'm sorry," Sam said, putting an arm around Johnny. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head, "do you want to talk about Tee?" Sam asked.

"Maybe..." he trailed off, "I... I... I might as well because everyone probably hates me right now."

Xxx

"Get me some water," Faith snapped,

"no," Harry replied,

"get me some water," she repeated glaring at the boy.

"You're mean," Harry told her, walking out of the lounge.

"God, you are so useless," Faith yelled after him.

"I think you'll find your the useless one," Elektra said, wheeling herself into the room.

"What do you want?"

"To talk," Elektra replied, Faith started to wheel away but Elektra grabbed her. "I always wondered how you were so perfect: kind, clever, friendly. Now I realised it is because you had it all, now you're in a wheelchair you've turned cold and bitter. You've become a total bitch."

"I would have thought you would understand," Faith murmured, Elektra ignored her.

"You're going to be a wheelchair for another 3 weeks, then you'll be on crutches, then you'll be able to walk again. I'll be lucky if I ever learn to walk again," Elektra replied, sighing, staring down at her lap. "Your injury is temporary, mine is permanent.

Faith paused, unsure what to say. Elektra's words held truth.

"In my accident I didn't just lose my mobility, I lost the only place that I have been able to call home, and my family, not my biological family, my Elmtree family. I lost them when I was forced to leave. You will have your mobility back in a few months, you still have your home and your family. I think you should count yourself lucky," Elektra sighed again, before wheeling herself out of the room.

Faith sat there for a few moments, before going to the kitchen to get the glass of water.

Xxx

Sam and Johnny sat in the park, Johnny had told her everything.

"Why do you care?" he suddenly asked Sam,

"about Tee?" Sam questioned, Johnny nodded, she paused.

"I lost my sister," Sam said finally, "and it was... horrible. I don't want anyone to go have go through what I did."

Johnny paused for a moment, "you're not the bad," he said about a minute later.

"Neither are you," Sam replied, and the two care kids sat together in silence. Thinking about their sister's.

**Hope you enjoyed that chapter, I will try and upload another one soon.**

**Please review xxx**


	23. Breaks Ups and Dreams

**Chapter 23**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you DoctorWho53 for following and adding this story to favourites, as well as my drabble Rejection**

**Thank you Guest for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**I'm so sorry that I am taking ages to update, hopefully my updates are worth it :)**

"Tyler," Kitty yelled down the minibus, she pointed to the seat next to her; Johnny's seat.

"You can sit next to me," Sam whispered to Johnny, who was standing in the aisle, looking more than a bit lost. He smiled thankfully at her.

Ever since the break up on the previous day he found himself being ostracised by his so-called friends. But, to his disbelief, he had been taken in by Sam. The same girl that he, along with his old friends, had deliberately ostracised for... well just trying too hard, being annoying, like a puppy.

He regretted his words, he had been a bit harsh on laying the blame on Erin, but she did have to accept at least some responsibility for what happened to Tee.

Tee. She sat across the aisle from him, looking tired, understandably. She came home at 2 in the morning, and Mike grounded her. Again.

Johnny was tired too, sick of his sister acting like this and tired because he had waited until he knew she was safe, till he was able to sleep.

"I would ask you if you were ok," Sam said, "but it is evident you're not."

"It's just..." Johnny was cut off, by a loud burst of laughter from the back of the bus. Erin, Rick, Kitty and Tyler were laughing hysterically.

"They were my best friends," he sighed.

"They were mine too," Sam sighed, "not that they ever liked me, though."

"At least you have friends now," Johnny pointed out, "I have no one."  
"That's not true," Sam assured him, "you have me."

Xxx

"Bored. Bored. Bored. BORED!" Arietta yelled,

"Miss Rosenberg, could you please lower your voice, you are disturbing the other patients," a Nurse said, looking around at the rest of the ward, who were glaring at the teen girl.

"But I'm soooo bored," Ari complained. "You won't even give me a book to read. You just jab needles in me and tut, lots of tutting. Go tut at someone else."

"Miss Rosenberg,"  
"when can I leave? What? Now?! Brilliant!" Arietta said, pulling herself out of the bed, the Nurse immediately pushed her back into the bed.

"No," the Nurse replied, "you are staying here."  
"But I'm...fine," Ari replied, which would have sounded a lot more convincing if she hadn't had a coughing fit halfway through the sentence.

"You are staying," the Nurse walked away, leaving Ari to stare at the ceiling.

She hated the staying still, having nothing to do, she liked keeping busy because when she wasn't busy, she had to think.

She would think of nothing but Symphony and Mia, and Mia, and a lot more Mia, and a bit more Symphony. She would list all of Symphony's achievements, and think of all the what-ifs for Mia:

What if she hadn't died? What if she had been born into a loving family? What if she was now at home, taking her first steps?

It hurt. A lot.

It hurt to work out that Mia would be 10 and a half months old.

It hurt to work out that Mia would be 319 days old.

It hurt to work out that Mia would be 7656 hours old.

It hurt to work out that Mia would be 459360 minutes old.

And it hurt the most to work out, that she never once breathed in 27561600 seconds since she had been born.

Arietta rolled over, to look at the window, at the outside. The light flooded in, the light of hope.

There had been no light in Beijing: just smog so thick that it could choke you, and grey buildings.

In the cell there had only been dull artificial light, that peeped through the tiny gap under the door.

In England there was rain, and grey days, grey people, boring people. But in England, she had met some of the most wonderful.

Her friends, who had helped her when she first arrived: Matty, Jason, Tori and Piper but they were fading away.

But that was ok.

Since there was a new light in her life, her best friend...

Sam.

Xxx

"Sam," Robbie yelled, sprinting over to her, he swung his arm round her shoulder. Then he saw, Johnny "hi?"

"Robbie, Johnny. Johnny, Robbie," Sam introduced the two guys, "he's from Elmtree."

"Ari not back?" Robbie asked, Sam shook her head,

"the Doctors said that they are 99% sure the tumour wasn't cancerous but..."  
"cancer?!" Johnny asked.

"What?!" Robbie declared.

"Ari had a tumour, and the Doctors originally thought it was cancer, but they now think she's clear of it, but they're still monitoring her for another few days," Sam explained.

"Why didn't Mike say anything?" Johnny asked,

"the last thing Elmtree needs is any more tragedy, so he decided it was best to keep it a secret."

"You can say that again," Johnny muttered.

"Don't you usually hang around with Erin and Rick?" Robbie suddenly asked,

"well... yeah but... well... the thing is..." Johnny stuttered,

"his girlfriend dumped him," Sam butted in, Robbie stared at Sam incredulously.

"Samantha Carter, are you aware that you are turning into Arietta?"

"Am I being that blunt?" Sam questioned,

"yep," both boys replied together.

Xxx

"What you thinking about, baby?" Rick asked, taking hold of Erin's hand. They were sitting in their form room together, and Miss Reynold had not yet arrived.

"Everything's changing," Erin said, not looking at Rick. "I don't think it's for the better this time," she added, sighing.

"Everything will be okay in the end," Rick told her,

"if it's not okay, it's not the end," Erin finished. She looked up at him, brown eyes wide, "are we making the right choice?" she asked, "about the baby?"

Rick stopped stunned.

"Do you want to..." Rick started, almost angry.  
"I want your opinion, that's all," Erin snapped, "and I could never kill anyone," she added softly.

"That's why you left your Dad, a strike from death," Rick replied,

"I..." Erin stopped stunned, she shook her head in disbelief, her hand collided with Rick's cheek. She stood up, tearing up, "I can't believe you," she whispered.

"Sit down," Miss Reynold demanded, walking into the classroom, Erin just stared at Rick.

"Fuck off," Erin replied, walking out of the classroom.

Xxx

"Miss, do I have to sit next to _him_?" Kitty asked,

"Kitty, what is the problem?" the teacher,

"you want to me to sit next to _that?!" _she stated incredulously. Johnny turned away, trying (in vain) to tune out from his ex-girlfriend's bitchiness.

Xxx

_A long time ago I was a very different person, I was just an ordinary kid, bit smarter than average but nothing special; just a sparky, smiley little girl who loved her Mum, and ponies, and dreamed of riding lessons, a pet pony and a happy ever after. _

_A lot has changed since then._

Xxx

Erin lay curled up on her bed, she had told the School Nurse she was feeling nauseous and had been sent home.

In reality that was the truth, she hurt all over. She was going to be a teen mum – alone.

She had thought she was Not Alone Any More, but she had been proved wrong.

She kicked the headboard of her bed, immediately regretted it, shouted a long chain of profanities then cried.

She was an idiot. What sort of a girl sleeps with a guy she has only known a few weeks?

She was 14 and pregnant, and her boyfriend of 5 months had walked out, leaving her already 3 months pregnant.

Only a month beforehand Erin had told Tee, that the younger girl was only a kid.

But the reality was dawning on Erin.

She was a kid too.

Xxx

The Nurse gave in. Eventually.

Arietta was sat up in bed, using a tray as a table, she was writing a letter:

_Dear Sam,_

that was an she had written.

All she could write.

She wiped away the tears, and picked up the pen. Again.

_I know you kissed me._

She wrote. She stared at the paper. Her brain hadn't addressed that fact yet.

Sam had kissed her.

She sighed.

Sam had kissed her.

She remembered Sam's short speech.

Sam had kissed her.

Ari smiled.

Sam had kissed her. Told her that she needed her. Brushed back Ari's hair and kissed her.

But Sam was leaving.

She was going to Italy.

She had already lost Symphony and Mia, she was not going to Sam.

And even though Arietta Rosenberg, had terrible upper body strength, she knew she was going to hold onto Sam. And never let her go.

Ever.

**Please review, I love reviews :)**


	24. The Future

**Chapter 24**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Fangirlee for reviewing**

**Sorry for updating gaps, but since my laptop is freezing and deleting my work ever 10-30 minutes it hasn't been easy.**

"Nonno," Sam cried, throwing her arms around her Granddad,

"your Grandmother sent me round," he told her,

"but I'm not moving in with you for another two days," Sam replied, "not that it isn't lovely to see you," she added hastily.

"She wanted me to pick you up, so you could choose what colour to paint your room," he explained,

"don't they have any paint in Italy?" Sam asked, her Grandfather simply laughed.

Xxx

_She wanted to be a professional horse rider, win a Gold Medal in Equestrian at the Olympics, then retrain as a scientist and discover how to save the world._

_You can't blame her, she was only a small kid, with big dreams._

Xxx

"Boys are stupid," Kitty said, in an attempt to sooth Erin.

"Tell me something I don't fucking know," Erin snapped.

There a quick knock at the door, "Erin, could you come downstairs?" Mike asked. Erin groaned, but managed to drag herself from her bed.

"What is HE doing here?!" Erin yelled upon seeing Rick sat in the Office.

"I need to talk to you two about the baby," Mike said.

"No you don't," Erin snapped, "I'm the Mother, HE hasn't nothing to do with my baby."

"But Rick is the biological Father, so he has rights too," Mike replied, Erin sighed and collapsed into the empty chair.

"Ok, I know I should have said this earlier, but things have been very busy," Mike started, "but I am very disappointed with you. Firstly because you are both under age, and secondly because you disobeyed me," Mike stood up. "After we found out Rick had survived the brain tumour, I talked to you two and you BOTH promised me that you wouldn't have sex. But within a month you broke that promise."

"I'm sorry Mike," Rick muttered,

"yeah," Erin agreed, still not looking at her ex-boyfriend.

"Sorry, won't cut it this time," Mike replied, "Your allowances will be halved for the next 6 months."

"But you already docked £20 from our allowances for next month," Erin reminded him.

"Well I guess you'll have no allowance next month," Mike told her.

"But how will I buy Christmas presents?" she asked.

"Maybe that will remind you two, that you are not exempt from the rules that apply to everyone else."

"Aren't I being punished enough?" Erin wondered, "I'm pregnant for fucks sake." Mike simply ignored her.

"Secondly, I know you two planned to keep the baby, but now... situations have changed," he said.

"I'm getting the baby fostered till I'm 18, then I'm raising it," Erin replied immediately.

"Life as a single teen mum, with no family to rely on, will be tough," Mike told her.

"What about me?" Rick asked, "it's my baby too."

"Have you considered abortion?" Mike questioned.

Xxx

_I thought it would stop. I thought if I rebelled, stood up to authority I would feel something but I still feel... numb. Empty. Pointless. And everything is being felt by the people around me: Johnny, Tyler, Johnny, Tyler._

_I want to stop my nothingness, but without hurting them._

_Because Johnny is my brother, and Tyler is my best friend, and I don't want to push them away any more._

Tee put her pen down, she looked herself in the mirror. Stared at the face, completely clear of make up, that looked about 4 years younger the face she had spent the last couple of weeks painting on. She was sat wearing her fluffy white dressing gown, and her hair was plaited.

She knocked on Johnny's door. He opened it, "Tee," he whispered,

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, starting to cry, her big brother simply pulled her into a hug.

"I'm sorry," he replied, "and you know I just want what's best for you."

Hugging and crying.

The two Taylor siblings reunited.

Xxx

"You are making excellent progress," the Doctor told Faith, "we'll look again at your appointment next week, but we'll be looking at crutches in the next week, and I'll organise you visits to the physiotherapists."

"That's great," Tracy said,

"Yeah," Faith agreed, starting to smile; Elektra had been right, soon she would be able to move forward with her life, her injury was only temporary.

Xxx

"You know you'll never be a professional footballer," Jemima told Bailey, who had been kicking a football in the goal.

"You're jealous just because I'm talented," he snapped,

"I'm not denying your talented, and I'm certainly not jealous, since my brain can be used for more important things than kicking a ball. But I'm just saying that you need to learn some team work," Jemima told him.

"Rich coming from you, you Welsh Weirdo, they all hate you."  
"They hate you too," Jemima told him honestly, "but my career choice does not need team work, it needs perceptiveness, and I'm great at being perceptive. But football needs team work, and I suggest you either change your attitude, or your dream."

"You can't just change your dream," Bailey argued.

"Yes you can," Jemima replied, walking back into the house, shivering in the cold of the evening.

Xxx

"_Why do we have to invite Kitty?" Ari groaned, "that girl annoys me so much."_

"_I know, I know," Sam told her, "but we agreed we're inviting the entire Dumping Ground, and Alfie, so we can't really not invite her."  
"Fine," Arietta huffed, rolling her eyes. "Or we could elope?" she suggested,_

"_We're not eloping," Sam said, "I want..." then she stopped._

"_Don't be ashamed, nothing wrong with wanting the big white wedding," Arietta said, taking her fiancée's hand. Sam smiled, and kissed her Wife-to-be. _

_Ari pulled away, "is a Vegas wedding out of the question?"_

"_Yes," Sam told her firmly._

Xxx

When Arietta woke up, she was smiling.

Xxx

"Tyler,"

Tyler spun round, he thought he was alone,

"want a game?" Tee asked him, walking over to the Pool table. He stared confused, she looked like the old Tee.

"Sure," he replied, passing her a cue.

She took the first shot.

"I'm sorry," she told him, "I'm sorry for how I've been treating you."

"It's..." Tyler started,

"not it isn't," Tee answered, "it isn't ok. I've been a terrible friend. I don't think I could have been a worse friend, even if I tried. Can you forgive me?"

"Always," he told her, putting down the cue and hugging her.

And for the first time in a month, Tee Taylor genuinely smiled.

**Please review xxx**


	25. Life Talks

**Chapter 25**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Fangirlee for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Lolololol for reviewing**

**I am currently a bit traumatized because according to the internet, series 3 of the Dumping Ground will be the last, but it also said that Series 3 of Tracy Beaker Returns would end with Liam getting Elektra pregnant, so wikipedia isn't a reliable resource but still... **

_She had been no different from anyone else, just a kid with her hair in plaits, who had a best friend called Jane. _

_They had gone to ballet classes together, and worn matching friendship bracelets. At school they would eat their school lunches together, then they would go out to the playground and play skipping games. Then after school they would go round to each other's houses, then they would go home, and do the same thing the next day._

_Then everything changed._

_And she was put in care._

_And she never saw Jane again._

__Xxx

"Have you considered abortion?" Mike questioned, the two teens sat stunned.

"No, I am not killing my child," Erin almost growled,

"I'm with Erin, it isn't right killing our baby," Rick said.  
"I am just saying you should consider all your options," Mike said,

"I am just saying you should fuck off," Erin replied, storming out of the room.

Xxx

Sam stared out of the window, trying to memorize the view from her bedroom, even though it was hardly a room with a view.

She was memorizing the trees, the main road, the newly bought house next door, the wall she liked to sit on, more trees, some grass, a few more trees.

In two days time she would be moving in with her Grandparents, and she needed to pack.

She started simple: clothes.

It was easy to tell her clothes from Ari's. Firstly Ari's were tiny, but they also tended to be quite colourful, unlike Sam's which were mainly black, white or blue.

Sam sat on her bed, suitcase open in front of her and started folding.

"Sam," the blonde looked up, Erin was standing in the doorway.

"Erin," Sam said, more than slightly surprised.

"Can I help?" she asked, looking a bit lost.

"Of course," Sam replied, recognising that the girl wanted to talk.

Erin smiled weakly, and sat down on the other side of the suitcase.

It was two minutes before Erin started talking.

"I trust you to be honest with me," she said, "you've become more honest recently, you've been blunter and you've stood up for yourself."

"I blame Ari," Sam replied, smiling.

"Your not as bad as Ari,"

"thank god," awkward pause, "so what do want to know?"

"Do you think I should keep the baby?" Erin asked, "because Mike thinks I should, but I don't think it's right."

"Difficult question," Sam replied, "I could reply in a number of ways, both for and against abortion, what do you want to hear?"

"I want your real opinion, not some textbook shit."

Sam was silent a moment, thinking how she could say what she wanted to say, without giving away Arietta.

"A few months ago I met a woman, her name was Tara," Sam started, then regretted it, remembering Tara was Ari's middle name. "She had been abused by her husband, and she was a prisoner in his house, she hated her life. Then she fell pregnant. Her pregnancy filled her life with hope, but then, when she was 8 months pregnant, she angered her husband and he beat her till she miscarried. And his beating has made her infertile." Sam stopped sighing, Erin was wiping her eyes, then Sam continued.

"Tara was only in her 20s, still has her whole life ahead of her, but she's going to have to watch her friends, her sisters, her work colleagues, go through pregnancy and see them have what she never had. What she never will have. So what I am saying is, a baby is a gift and those who have that gift are very fortunate, and I believe it is wrong to destroy that gift."

"What if I'm not a good Mum?" Erin asked, between sobs.

"Do you love your baby?" Sam questioned,

"but..."  
"do you love your baby?" Sam repeated. Erin nodded. "That's the most important thing, a baby will be hard work, a life long commitment which will control about two decades of your life. But a baby is a huge responsibility, and note how I say responsibility not burden, but you will need to provide for your baby. Make enough money to feed it, clothe it, to keep the house warm, which means you need to get good grades in school, to make sure you can get the jobs which will provide your money. But in the end it will be worth it."

Erin nodded.

"Thank you," she said,

"your welcome," Sam replied, Erin stood up made her way to the door but then turned back,

"Sam." Sam looked up, "I'm sorry for abandoning you at Thorpe Park," and with that Erin was gone.

Xxx

"I don't know who I am any more," Tee told Tyler, "I'm not the girl I was 2 months ago, but I'm not the girl I have spent the last few weeks pretending to be."

"You're Tee," Tyler replied, taking her hand, "and that is all that matters."

Xxx

The Dumping Ground seemed to be falling apart, despite Tee, Johnny and Tyler reconciling, everything was changing.

Jemima and Bailey had joined the Dumping Ground.

Faith had been hit by the car.

Arietta had gone into hospital.

Johnny and Kitty had broken up, and Johnny had lost his friends, but had found Sam.

Erin and Rick had broken up, and the pregnancy situation made everything worse.

And in two days time Sam would have left, and Ari...

Ari was coming out of hospital the day Sam was leaving.

Sam would leave, and Ari would be discharged about two hours later.

They would miss each other.

They would never see each other again.

Xxx

Arietta wasn't popular with the other patients of the ward: she had complained, woke them up in the middle of night when her nightmares had caused her to scream, she had complained a bit more, slapped a Doctor (in her books it was a reflex, and it was justified) and was being generally difficult.

She wasn't that popular with the Nurses for those same reasons, and she actually heard one moan about the fact that she was going to be there for another two nights.

At least the Doctors (bar the one she had slapped) didn't seem to mind her.

"Has the tumour gone?" Arietta asked,

"it appears to be completely gone," the Doctor told her.

"So was it cancerous?"

"If it doesn't come back we have no way of knowing. The tumour could have been cancerous, but it might not have been, we'll never know," he explained.

"So am I healthy again?"

"No," he told her honestly, "you are still underweight, but apart from that you are physically fine."

"So can I leave?"

"No, on Wednesday, I promise. But tomorrow you'll be meeting your psychiatrist, and then on Wednesday we will be re-evaluating you, and if all is good you can go home."

Arietta didn't tell her that when she went back to Elmtree House it would no longer be home.

And she didn't explain that that was because her best friend wouldn't be there.

Xxx

"_I think it might be the only solution," Gerry Barber sighed,_

"_I know," Rick's mum, Lisa Barber replied. Little did they know that 5 year old Rick was hiding behind the sofa, listening to their conversation._

"_Rick would love a sibling but..." Gerry started,_

"_but it's impractical," Lisa finished, "a baby would make a quick get away impossible."_

_Rick was silent. He had always wanted a sibling and..._

"_I'll go to the doctors tomorrow," Lisa said, "they can book me in for an abortion."  
_

_Aged 5 Rick had no idea what abortion meant, but it didn't sound good._

"_Then no more baby," Gerry whispered._

_That night Rick cried himself to sleep, mourning the sibling he would never have._

**Thank you for reading, please review**


	26. I Wish This Was Real

**Chapter 26**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing on this and the days before tomorrow, hopefully this chapter will answer some of your questions **

**Thank you Lololol for reviewing**

**Thank you Guest for reviewing**

**Disclaimer:**

**The Dumping Ground and Tracy Beaker belong to Jacqueline Wilson**

**The characters belong to the BBC**

**Erin Walker belongs to Zebralover4578**

**Sam Carter (mostly) belongs to me**

**Arietta Rosenberg belongs to me**

**Jemima Anderson belongs to me**

**The quote used from the song For Good belongs to the owners of Wicked**

"Last day on the Dumping Ground minibus," Johnny reminded Sam, who sighed before grinning.

"We're first on the minibus," she said,

"so..." Johnny asked, then he paused, brain whirring.

"Back seat," they said together, then sprinted to the back of the bus.

Kitty glared at her ex-boyfriend and Sam for taking her seat, while Erin just nodded politely and sat down next to Kitty.

"Are you crazy?" Tee asked her brother and Sam,

"evidently so," Sam replied, "but hey, it's my last day. Might as well make the most of it."

Tyler nodded, before making his phone blare music.

"Minibus rave," Sam declared, waving her arms crazily in the air. 

It was fair to say that the entire Dumping Ground got told off when Mike entered the mini bus.

Xxx

_Children are very impressionable._

_One moment can change them forever._

_On the 14th of February 2009, when she had just turned 9, in the late hours of the night, she went to get a glass of water and to check on her science experiments._

_Instead she found something that changed her life forever._

Xxx

"Mike," Ari called, when she saw her care worker enter the ward.

"How are you?" he asked,

"Am I going to miss seeing Sam?" she asked him, he paused for a second before nodding, the teenage girl sighed, "can you give her this?" she produced an envelope.

"Of course," Mike told her.

He pocketed the letter.

There was silence for a moment.

"I had my first meeting with my psychiatrist earlier," Arietta told him,

"how did it go?"

"good,"

"good."

Silence.

"How is Sam?" Ari asked,

"well she's excited about moving in with her grandparents," Mike told her, smiling, glad that one of his kids was getting adopted.

"so she isn't feeling upset?" Ari asked, though in her head she carried on: that we'll never see each other again.

"Why would she be?" Mike wondered,

"no reason," Arietta sighed, feeling crushed and regretting her letter.

Xxx

"So are you telling me that...?" Robbie asked,

"YES!" Sam yelled, "I mean I thought, that but... well... I couldn't believe it that..."  
"Miss Carter, this is an ICT suite, not a zoological society, so can you please shut up?" the teacher asked.

"Wow," Robbie whispered,

"I know right," Sam replied.

Xxx

_Violets are blue_

_Roses are red_

_If I had never met you_

_I would now be dead_

Erin looked up, Rick was watching her, Erin looked away.

She looked back down at the note he had sent her.

The bell rang, she grabbed her bag and headed straight for the door, but then tripped over a chair leg.

She was falling. Falling. Falling. Then she wasn't. Rick had caught her.

"Are you ok?" he asked, looking concerned.

"I'm fine," Erin snapped, before storming away through the door that Rick held open for her.

Xxx

"Why should we be partners?" Jemima asked, hands on her hips, looking at Johnny unimpressed.

"Consider it an early birthday present for me," he told her, "my birthday's on Sunday."

"But I wasn't getting you a present," Jemima told him honestly.

"Ok," Johnny sighed, "I don't want to have to go with Kitty. She'll either pretend I'm invisible, or spend the whole time bitching about me, to me."

"Finally the truth," Jemima muttered, "ok," she told Johnny, "let's investigate the Lithium Chloride."

"Why can't we to do the bleach experiment?" Johnny asked,

"we're not doing the bleach experiment," Jemima replied immediately.

"Why not?"

"We're not doing the bleach experiment," she snapped, "now get me the Lithium Chloride, or fuck off."

Johnny didn't bother arguing, he just nodded and obeyed the Welsh Girl's wishes.

She was scary when she was angry and he had appeared to have hit a nerve.

Xxx

"I think he's trying to make me jealous," Kitty told Erin,

"uh huh," Erin replied, not paying attention to her best friend, instead she was watching Rick who standing on the other side of the canteen.

"Like going with Jemima is going to make me jealous," Kitty paused, "you don't think there is something going on between them?"

"Yeah," Erin said, wondering if Rick was serious about his poem.

"You think there is something going on between Johnny and Jemima?" Kitty asked,

"yeah," she repeated, remembering how good things were when she was with Rick.

"But, why would he like Jemima? She isn't even pretty, or is she pretty? Do you think she's pretty?"

"Yeah," Erin's phone vibrated:

One message from Rick:

_Heyyy x_

_Heyyyy xxx_

She typed back.

"Do you think Jemima is prettier than me?" Kitty asked, Erin scrolled through her photos, smiling at the numerous selfies including her and Rick.

"Yeah," she replied.

"WHAT!?" Kitty almost shouted, "I'm miles prettier than Jemima."

"I'm sorry... what?" Erin asked, finally paying attention.

"You said that Jemima's prettier than me," the younger girl snapped.

"Oh I..." she trailed off, Rick was grinning at her, making her feel all gooey.

She barely noticed when Kitty grabbed her tray, and stormed away.

Xxx

"Do you think Erin and Rick will get back together?" Tee asked,

"I don't know," Tyler told her honestly, "I just want things to go back to how they were."

"Back when everyone got on?" Tee asked, Tyler nodded.

"Everything feels so strained at home," he added,

"everything is changing,"

"everyone is changing," Tyler added,

"I'm sorry," Tee apologized.

"Not you, Kitty, what has happened to her?" Tyler asked rhetorically, "ever since Ari arrived she has gotten so much bitchier, and hostile. Very hostile. She is so different to the girl that used to be my friend. So different to the girl who went to Burnywood. She used to be scared, now she's just mean."

"I'm glad things ended between her and Johnny," Tee said,

"he seems to be doing quite well," Tyler commented, looking over to where Johnny was laughing with Sam and Robbie.

"Sam has helped him so much," Tee pointed out a moment later, "it's tragic that she's being adopted tomorrow."

Tyler nodded, "they would have made such a great couple."

Xxx

For the year 10s it was music, and they were rehearsing for the Christmas concert and Erin had just remembered that Rick was playing accompaniment to her singing, so she would have to face him.

Deep breath. Deep breath. Deep breath.

She opened the practice room door, "hey," she said,

"hey," Rick replied, looking up from his guitar, grinning his trade mark grin, all while strumming.

"What song is that?" Erin asked,

"it's nothing you would have heard of," he told her.

"Try me," she replied, he paused before grinning and starting the piece again, then starting to sing:

_Yesterday I said things I didn't mean_

_And it was really mean _

_I didn't mean to be cruel_

_But your so cool_

_I just want you back in my arms_

_Away from harm_

_We'll together forever_

_And we'll break up never_

_Because I love you_

He sang.

The song itself was cringy, and he had evidently tried hard on it, but song writing was evidently not his forte.

That didn't bother Erin though.

Unless passionately kissing now meant that you didn't approve of someone's work.

"I'm so sorry," Rick whispered,

"you better be," Erin replied, smiling.

"I love you Erin Walker," he told her, "and I love you baby."

Xxx

Her last journey home on the minibus.

Her last dinner at the Dumping Ground.

Her last shower.

Her last time of watching reruns of reruns on Dave Ja Vu.

Sam counted the things she would miss about the Dumping Ground.

Then she fell asleep in the Dumping Ground for the last day.

Xxx

Johnny rolled over, the clock read 2:53AM, he pulled himself out of bed and pulled on a hoodie.

He crept down the stairs, making sure to avoid the creaky step. He had stolen the Office keys earlier, he needed to look through the files.

Through Jemima's file.

He went to place the key in the lock, but the door just opened, he considered it a bit strange but thought nothing more of it.

He closed the door, and switched on his torch. He walked over to the filing cabinet where he knew Mike kept the personal files. It was locked.

He sighed, and went over to the Mike's desk looking for the key. After a minutes searching Johnny gave up, and sung down into Mike's chair, then his feet collided with something solid. But not the desk.

Something that was moving.

So Johnny instinctively kicked it.

And it yelped.

"Jemima!" Johnny exclaimed, "what are you doing here?"  
"Here the office, or here under Mike's desk?" Jemima questioned.

"Both, wait is that Erin's file?" Johnny asked,

"yep," Jemima admitted,  
"but..."  
"shut up," she snapped,

"what is..."  
"seriously just shut up," Jemima repeated,

"I..."

Next thing Johnny knew Jemima had grabbed him, and pulled him under the desk, then switched off his torch.

"SSH," she whispered, placing a finger on his lips. Then he heard the footsteps. "Mike," she whispered,

"how do you..." Johnny started, but Jemima simply covered his mouth, not seeming to phased by the fact that Johnny was practically lying on top of her.

The door opened. Mike walked in. He looked around the room for a minute. Then turned round, walked out, locking the door behind him.

Johnny went to move away, but Jemima held him in place.

"1, 2, 3..." she mouthed.

Johnny waited for what seemed like forever.

"98, 99, 100," she whispered,

"can I get up now?" Johnny asked,

"yes," Jemima told him, he stood up, looking awkward. "You should go,"

"why? I have something to do,"

"I won't have sex with you," the Welsh girl told him, readjusting her fluffy dressing gown.

"What?" Johnny asked,

"I'm not blind," Jemima said, looking pointedly at his... area.

"Look it doesn't mean anything," he said in attempt to defend himself. Jemima nodded, slowly, and rather sarcastically.

"So came to look at my file?" she asked,

"no, of course, why would I do that?" he stuttered, Jemima walked over to the door unlocked it,

"good night Johnny," she told him, opening the door for him.

"I..."  
"good night Johnny," she repeated, he sighed and walked away defeated.

Xxx

Then it was Wednesday, the day of Sam's departure, but all the others had to go to school.

They all hugged Sam (apart from Kitty, who just glared) but then they were gone.

"Sam," Mike said, as she was sat in the lobby, surrounded by bags waiting for her Grandparents, "Arietta gave me a letter to give you," he said, handed her the letter and before she could read it, the doorbell rang.

Then she carried her suitcases out of the door.

For the last time.

Xxx

Tee sat thinking, wishing Tyler was in her maths class, but mainly thinking.

She didn't feel as numb as she once did, but she still wasn't as happy as she once was.

She wished that she could turn back time, not run away, not fight with Johnny, not hurt Tyler.

But she couldn't.

Xxx

_When she was a kid she wanted to save the world. By Wednesday the 27th of November 2013, she didn't want to save the world any more, instead she wanted to save all the people on the world._

Xxx

Sam sat on her new bed, fingering the envelope, Ari's last message to her. She sighed, before prising the envelope open.

_Dear Sam,_

_Firstly I apologize because I'm not the most word-y person, well I can be when I'm speaking but I'm the best writer._

_Ok, now I wish you happiness and hope you live a long, fulfilling life, maybe give your old friend a call once in a while._

_Now you need to understand what you mean to me, how much you have changed me._

_The following quotes from the hit West End and Broadway musical, Wicked, seem to sum up how I feel:_

"_It well may be, that we will never meet again, in this lifetime. So, let me say before we part: so much of me, is made of what I learned from you. You'll be with me. Like a handprint on my heart. And now whatever way our stories end, I know you'll have rewritten mine. By being my friend."_

_Elphaba, For Good, Wicked. _

_Ok, now I'll stop quoting musical at you, ideally I would included a recording of it, but I doubt Mike would provide me with an MP3 player, that will play upon the opening of the envelope._

_But that is my way of saying I'll miss you, and I am so grateful, that even for the short time we have known each other, that I've had the honour, of having you as my best friend._

_Until we meet again,_

_Arietta Tara Rosenberg xxx_

Sam just stopped. Then re-read the letter. And again. And again.

Xxx

"If you get any aches, or dizzy spells book an appointment immediately," the Doctor told Mike and Ari, "and I'll email you details of your next check up."

"Thank you," Arietta said, the Doctor smiled.

Ari didn't say anything as she walked to Mike's car.

She just stared out of the window.

Then they pulled into the drive of the Dumping Ground and Ari sighed; It was time for her to face the truth.

Sam was gone.

Xxx

"If I tell you about me, will you tell me about you?" Johnny asked Jemima, the brunette looked up.

"I already know about you," she told him,

"I don't think you..."  
"Jonathan William Taylor," Jemima interrupted, "born the 1st of December 1999. Son of Lucy and James Taylor. Dad left when you were 2, immediately Keith moved in. His was abusive towards you, Tee and your Mum. On the 16th February 2006 you and Tee were taking into care," she told him, and Johnny just stared.

Stunned.

Xxx

She felt like a ghost walking through the halls of life. She felt numb, but not because of the painkillers.

Her fingers brushed the door, she waited for a moment before pushing it open.

Gone was the meaningless (and meaningful) clutter, gone was the dirty laundry, gone was the life.

She paused for a second, her gaze pausing momentarily on the violin on the desk, an amazing present, but not enough to life the dark.

Her fingers scraped the cold glass of the window, outside the autumn colours had faded, the leaves lay in their grave at the bottom of the tree.

Her reflection ghosted across the the window, highlighting the dark rings around her eyes, and the jagged scar running down her cheek.

The whole situation has a dream-like quality, nothing seemed quite real. "Maybe I'll wake up," she whispered, voice husky. She recoiled her fingers from the window, wiping the condensation onto her bobbled hospital gown. Wrapping her arms around herself for... comfort? Protection? Warmth? To feel something?

Pain is... painful but nothingness is infinitely worse. It causes your world to blur, and leaves you unable to distinguish between dreams and reality.

The door opened, Arietta didn't look round, she knew who it was.

"Hello," she whispered,

"hey," Sam replied, the blonde walked over to her best friend, and wrapped around her arms around the girl. Ari leant into her.

Then she turned her head and kissed Sam, before pulling away and sighing.

"I wish this was real."

**Poor Ari, I wish it was real too :( **

**Please review**


	27. Worse Things For A Girl To Do

**Chapter 27**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing, and thank you for adding POSTBOX! At the end, I may or may not have squealed (in a good way)**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing, and yes what Sam was talking about will be revealed in this chapter :D**

**Thank you Fangirlee for reviewing**

_The door opened, Arietta didn't look round, she knew who it was._

"_Hello," she whispered,_

"_hey," Sam replied, the blonde walked over to her best friend, and wrapped around her arms around the girl. Ari leant into her. _

_Then she turned her head and kissed Sam, before pulling away and sighing._

"_I wish this was real." _

"I'm sorry what?" Sam asked, Ari jumped, fog clearing.

"What? But. I. I." Ari stuttered,

"Arietta Rosenberg speechless," Sam joked, while Arietta just made weird sounds, unable to form coherent sentences.

"But yyyyyou mmmoved to Italy," Ari said finally.

"Well..." Sam started, grinning ear to ear. "There was a... communication error. Both ends of the line. My Grandparents didn't make it apparent, that before they had even met me, that they had bought a house in the area. Just so they be near to me, so they could get to know me without being in Italy. So they thought I knew that I was going to be staying in the area, while I thought I was moving to their old house in Italy."

"Oh," Ari said,

"just oh?" Sam asked,

"I kissed you," she stated,

"yes you did,"

"you started it,"

"no I didn't, you're the one who..."  
"no, no, no," Arietta interrupted, "when I was hospital, you kissed me."

"Oh," Sam looked away, afraid to meet the Chinese girl's eyes. "Yeah, I guess I did."

"Yeah, I guess you did," Ari mimicked.

The two girls stood facing each other, nodding awkwardly.

"Well, that's great that you live in the area," Ari told her,

"look out the window," Sam said, Ari looked, Sam pointed at the house. The newly sold house. The house next door.

"You are kidding me!" Ari exclaimed,

"nope," the Blonde laughed, and Arietta threw her arms round her best friend, hugging her.

Then Ari pulled away, "look away," she commanded,

"why?" Sam asked,

"I look hideous, look no makeup, eye bags, hair that really needs washing,"

"I don't care," Sam told her,

"just because you look hot today," Ari muttered,

"Ari, I always look hot, I'm butch," Sam reminded her.

"Of course," Ari said, "now leave and let me have a shower. But don't actually leave... I mean you can leave, but don't _leave _leave."

"I'll go home," Sam told her, understanding her best friend's blabbering, "I'll text you."

Ari waited until she heard the front door close, then came the tears:

Her best friend was still in her life, and she was so, so, so grateful.

Xxx

_Things started to change when she was 8. _

_In 2008._

_Her Mum had become ill. _

_That was nothing extraordinary. _

_She had ill, on and off, all through her childhood._

_Both physically and... not physically._

_But this time it was worse, her Mum could barely look after herself, let alone her 8 year old daughter, so it ended up being her daughter who went down the road to Tesco, to fill their fridge. _

_Her daughter who cancelled her own horse riding lessons, not because she was told to, but because she knew that they couldn't afford it._

_Her daughter who made sure her Mother ate, drank, showered, got dressed._

_It was the daughter who was strong, and looked after her Mother, and ignored the (unintentionally) hateful comments, the occasional slap, and held her Mother when she broke down. Time and time again._

_It was her daughter who would sneak out of school at lunchtime, just to check on her Mother, before running back to school to play skipping games with Jane, or to gallop around the playground pretending to be ponies. And pretend that she had gotten bored of ballet and riding lessons._

_Then she would make excuses for why her Mum didn't pick her up from school, and on the better days she would still go back to Jane's._

_Then she would go home, to look after her Mum and this carried on for a year before social services found out._

Xxx

Faith couldn't wait. In 12 days she would be out of her wheelchair, and on crutches. She would be able to patch up the holes in her life, begin to make amends. But even so she still felt bad, how she had acted, when she really hadn't been badly off.

Not when compared to Elektra who was paralysed from the waist downwards, and was likely to be a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

For Faith her life had been smashed into a million pieces, but now the pieces were fitting back together but in a new way.

Her life direction had changed, and perhaps it was for the better.

Xxx

"You're kidding me," Johnny exclaimed,

"nope," Robbie told him, "Sam didn't tell anyone since she only found out on Monday, but it turns she has moved into the house next to your care home."

"That's good, I couldn't see the school sports teams lasting very long without her," Johnny commented,

"I'm glad I'm not losing Sam, also I'm happy for Ari since Sam is pretty much her everything."

"Yeah, they're best friends," Johnny commented,

"they're more than that," Robbie pointed out.

"What do you..."

Johnny was interrupted by the end-of-lunch bell.

"See you tomorrow," Robbie called, grabbing his bag. Leaving Johnny to walk by himself to Chemistry.

"Where do you go at lunchtime?" Johnny asked Jemima, as they started setting up their lithium chloride experiment.

"It depends," Jemima told him, "the library, the canteen, just around school, whatever I feel like."

"Do you have any friends?" he asked her, Jemima looked up.

"No," she told him honestly,

"any family?"

"no,"

"any hobbies?"

"Research," she said, "I like to research."

"Is that what you were doing last night with Erin's file?" Jemima paused, focused on measuring out exactly 5 grams of salt.

"Yes," she admitted finally.

"But why do the research if you never even talk to the person?"  
"Firstly I have talked to Erin," Jemima corrected him, "but I do it to... protect people, if I know what will hurt or upset a person then I will be able to avoid making that mistake."

Johnny didn't say anything, just started the timer, then started stirring the mixture, just thinking.

"But why are you allowed to find out about people, but I'm not allowed to find out about you?" Johnny asked, Jemima paused.

"You know all you need to know about me Johnny Taylor, the information in my file is about a girl who was lost years ago." Jemima started to walk away, towards the teacher, to ask to be dismissed; the bleach that the majority of the class was using, was giving her a headache.

"Jemima," Johnny called after her, "I know next to nothing about you."

Jemima turned back, half smiling before replying, "precisely."

Xxx

"What do Muslims think about organ donation?" Rick asked Erin,

"no clue," she replied cheerfully,

"then what were you writing?" he questioned,

"oh," she looked down, as if just realising that she was writing, and blushed slightly.

"Baby names," she admitted,

"what are your ideas?" he asked.

"I like the name Eric," she told him, "it's like our names combined, and our ship name is Erick so... why not?"

"Cute but maybe save it for a middle name," he suggested.

"I have some names for girls," Erin told him, "But I reckon baby is a boy." She passed him the list.

"Jennifer, Jenny for short. Abigail, could be either Abi or Gail. Luna... like Lovegood? Um..." he looked up at Erin, then hastily looked back at the list. "Lorna, like your friend? Elektra... definitely like your friend."

"What do you think?" Erin asked,

"I like the names, but I can't imagine our baby girl being called Luna, or Lorna, or Elektra," Rick told her honestly, "I have always liked the name Nadia."

"Ok, boys' names I have already said Eric, what about Lloyd? Daniel? Jason? Rio?"

"Yeah, and if they have a sibling we call them London," Rick replied. Erin simply glared,

"what about Alfie?" she asked,

"Alfie Barber? I like it... if we call him Alfie Barber, Alfie Walker's nice too," he suddenly gabbled.

"Alfie."

Xxx

"We were discussing baby names in RS," Erin said, turning round to Tee, Tyler and Johnny who were taking up the back row.

"Tyler," Tyler suggested,

"no," Erin told him, grinning, "and what if it's a girl?"  
"You call it Tyler," he said, as if it was obvious, Tee just laughed. Rick rolled his eyes.

"I like the name Angel for a girl," Tee said after a moments thought, "and Aaron for a boy."

"I like the name Mia," Johnny said,

"Mia? Mia Walker, that's cute," Erin commented.

"I like it," Rick replied.

"What about Hepsibah?" Tyler suggested, "Hepsibah Barber." The teens laughed.

"I like names like Grace and Hope and Faith..." Kitty said,

"Yes," Faith called down the minibus, evidently hearing her name.

"We're discussing baby names," Tee explained,

"Hope," Erin said, "Mia Hope Walker, I like it."

Jemima almost dropped her notebook. But quickly flicked to Ari's page, _Mia Hope Rosenberg. _

"You can't call her Mia Hope," Jemima said standing up, deciding to do her job – to protect people, while still giving her clients (though technically Arietta wasn't her client since she wasn't paying her, or even knew that Jemima knew about her past) the anonymity they deserved.

"Why not?" Erin said,

"sit down Jemima," Mike called, "we're driving." Jemima sat down.

"Mia is... a stupid name. There are only so many ABBA jokes a person call take. And who wants their daughter to share their name with a... Finnish breaststroke swimmer, it's just traumatizing. It's worse than Tallulah Does The Hula From Hawaii. She'll spend her name hating you, who wants to be named after a fraud, there is a British Psychic named Mia. How cruel can you be?"

"Fraud is a bit harsh."

"As for Hope," Jemima continued, "do you want to name her after a Ugandan lawyer and politician, an American socialite or playboy model?"

The minibus pulled up into the drive of the Dumping Ground, "anyway back to Hope. Your child will already be the grandchild of two frauds, do you really need to name them after a fraud as well?" Jemima asked.

"Jemima Anderson," Mike snapped, Jemima didn't reply instead she jumped off the minibus and sprinted inside.

Xxx

Arietta was playing her violin, when she heard the minibus pull up the Dumping Ground drive and a minute later there was a knock at her door, and before she could respond Jemima entered.

"I propose we become allies." she told the Chinese girl.

"Um... hi Jemima," Ari said, very confused, "why do we need to become allies?"

"Because I have offended pretty much the entire Dumping Ground while indirectly, and anonymously, protecting you," Jemima explained.

"Arietta not following this, Arietta _very_ lost,"

"basically," Jemima said, taking a deep breath, "Erin and Rick were discussing baby names, and they decided that for a girl they would name the baby: Mia Hope Walker."  
"They can't, they just... wait," Ari locked eyes with Jemima, furious, "how do you know about Mia?"

"That is classified infor..."  
"don't give me that shit," Arietta said, standing up, towering over the smaller, and younger girl.

"I read your file," Jemima admitted,

"that's an invasion of privacy," Ari started, "that's despicable behaviour, that..."

"was for your own good," the Welsh girl interrupted. "I use my knowledge to protect people, I knew how hurt you would be when you found out they were using Mia's name so I decided to put them off the name. I had to hurt them, to defend you," Jemima told her.

"Why?" Arietta asked,

"you couldn't defend yourself, and I'm guessing that you hardly wanted people to know about your past, and I felt that if you found out later, you would be likely to reveal your past to them. Then regret it. So I did the arguing for you, but I didn't mention any names. I did it to protect you."

Ari paused, unsure what to make of Jemima, what she did was morally wrong but she did it with good intentions.

"Allies," Arietta replied, extending her hand, the two girls shook on it.

After all, there are worse things for a girl to do.

**Sorry for slow updates, please review xxx**


	28. The Truth

**Chapter 28**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing, I agree Ari and Jemima need a team name...**

**Thank you C.1. .N.4.7 for reviewing, glad you saw the Immy references, just couldn't resist, as for changing to Sarietta's ship name to POSTBOX, I have put a poll on my profile.**

**Please vote for your favourite ship name.**

"That little bitch," Erin finally said, Rick's fists were clenched, evidently preparing to follow Jemima and punch her annoying Welsh face in.

"She was out of order," Faith said,

"how did she even know about your parents?" Tee asked, "did you tell her?"

"No," Rick said, the Dumping Ground fell silent, trying to work out how Jemima knew.

Johnny just got off the minibus, just hear in Mike muttered something along the lines of cameras.

Xxx

Every just stared at Sam,

"you live next door," Johnny said,

"yes," Sam nodded,

"why didn't you tell us?" Erin asked,

"miscommunication, I only told Ari this morning," Sam explained.

"You only told me what this morning?" Ari asked entering the room, Jemima following.

A few people greeted the girl, mainly mumbled "hi"s.

"Looking presentable I see," Sam whispered in her best friend's ear.

"Of course," Ari replied.

"Hey guys I'm painting my room on Saturday, anyone want to help?"

"I'll help," Johnny said, Tee and Tyler nodded,

"I'll do it," Jemima added,

"if you want me..." Ari started,  
"Ari I wasn't asking you, your attendance is compulsory," Sam told her.

Xxx

"You think Jemima has been breaking into the Office?" Tracy asked, Mike nodded,

"I heard something the other night," Mike said,

"you're overreacting man," Gina told him, "another kid probably told her."

"Well I'm still putting up these cameras," Mike told them.

Xxx

_Jumpers can shrink or grow in the wash. Their colours can fade, and run, and fade._

_They're a bit like humans._

_They little girl who lived a world full of colour, and happiness grew up, and her world (and her as a person) started to fade. She lost that edge to her, and that girl was lost with one small sip._

_Also known as one big mistake._

Xxx

"Johnny, what do you want?" Jemima asked,

"Mike set up cameras," Johnny told her,

"I know," Jemima told him, "I'm not an idiot."

"What do you need?" he asked her,

"nothing really, I have done all the profiling," she admitted, "I just wanted to see if I had deactivated the cameras, I hacked them," she explained.

Johnny just stared at her, "Is there anything you can't do?" he asked finally. She considered for a moment,

"I can't be ordinary," she told him, before walking away.

Xxx

Ari grabbed her back and sprinted downstairs, Mike had said she ought to rest for another day, but the teen had remained firm, declaring she couldn't miss any more education, so she was back at school.

"Hey Sam," she said greeting her best friend, who was standing by the gate, texting.

"Hi Ari," Sam replied, chucking her phone in her bag.

"So how was your first night in your new home?"  
"It was nice," Sam said, nodding, "no snoring." 

Ari hit her arm, "I do not snore."

"Keep telling yourself that, sweetie," Sam replied.

The two girls walked in silence.

"I guess we need to talk," Ari said,

"you can say that again,"

"I guess we need to talk," Ari repeated.

"Not literally," Sam replied, "so... what are we? Are we a couple?"

"We're lesbians," Arietta pointed, "best friends who are lesbians. Which seems surprisingly convenient in my books."

"Let's forget about convenience," Sam suggested, Ari nodded.

"We've kissed,"

"twice," Sam reminded.

"Well one I was mostly unconscious so maybe we should leave that one out," Ari suggested,

"once," Sam corrected,

"yeah."

"We're 14," Sam said, "is that too young?"

"How about you ask that to Erin and Rick?" Ari suggested.

"Well... while I believe they are a compatible couple, I do think they could be better."  
"Rick could have a sex change,"

"If Rick has a sex change, she is mine," Sam said,

"you like Erin, you have her, I'll take female Rick," Ari said, in an attempt to compromise.

"No way José."

"So you're saying the way to make a couple perfect, is to make them into lesbians," Sam suddenly said,

"yeah," Ari nodded, "lesbian relationships are better."

"And hotter," Sam added,

"and prettier,"

"and bitchier,"

"and cooler,"  
"and more period-y," Sam pointed out, Ari sent her a very strong glare, "unless you're in a relationship with you, and in that case I'm the only one with my life bleeding out my vagina, every fucking month."

"It's your time isn't it," Ari said, understandingly. Sam nodded, "that explains why you were so cranky yesterday."  
"I was not fucking cranky, and don't you dare can me an Angry Lesbian, cos I hate that fucking stereotype and fuck you," Sam almost shouted. Ari laughed. Sam glared. Ari carried on grinning.

"Postbox."

Xxx

"Ari, you're back," Robbie stated, pulling his friend into a hug.

"Really?" she asked sarcastically.

"Believe it or not, you are, and you came back just in time for the joy of double physics with me."

"I can't be bothered," she told him honestly.

"It's physics," he pointed out, "can anybody?"

Xxx

"Physics is brilliant," Jemima exclaimed, "the world makes much more sense without it."

"Why am I even sitting next to you?" Johnny asked,

"because Jemima and Johnny both begin with the letter J, so we end up sitting next to each other, in nearly every lesson," Jemima said, "it's pretty tiresome."

"It's worse for me," Johnny pointed out, "you're a loner, with no friends, just a notebook, who comes across as a fucking psychopath."

"I am not a psychopath, I took the test, and the personality disorder test, and the other test, and the other test, and the test that asks you if you want to be a florist," Jemima said, writing down the date.

"I don't understand you," Johnny groaned,

"you're acting like that's a bad thing," Jemima replied.

Xxx

"It's great that Sam hasn't left," Tyler said,

"yeah, at least Johnny and Sam will have the chance to be together," Tee said, "he deserves a decent girlfriend, not like Kitty."

"When you look back at it, it seems like a really unhealthy relationship," Tyler commented, looking down at his textbook, "I mean Kitty's comments almost drove Johnny to suicide," then Tyler stopped, looking at Tee, she had gone very pale, "admittedly Kitty saved him."

"Johnny was suicidal?" she whispered.

"He didn't tell you?" Tyler replied,

"Miss, I need the toilet," Tee yelled, sticking her hand in the air.

Xxx

"Heat energy?" he asked, Jemima nodded. "Kinetic?"

"Yeah," she replied, "4 more to go."

"Sou... why won't you tell me?" Johnny asked, "you know about me, why shouldn't I know about you?"

"I use information to protect people," Jemima started,

"or to upset people, like Erin and Rick," Johnny pointed out,

"they aren't a priority on the protection list," the Welsh girl explained.

Before Johnny could reply there was a knock on the door, the physics teacher looked up from his newspaper.

"Come in," he called, in walked Tee.

"Miss Burton has asked me to collect Johnny for a meeting," Tee lied, smiling sweetly at the teacher.

"Ok Johnny you can go."

Johnny stuffed his stuff in his bag, and followed his sister out of the classroom, very confused.

Tee said nothing to him, just walked.

"Why does Miss Burton want to see us?" Johnny asked, then suddenly Tee spun round and slammed him against a locker.

"Why didn't you tell me that you tried to kill yourself?" she snapped,

"I," he said, looking his furious sister in the eye, "I wanted to put the past behind us, I just wanted everything to be better, and I didn't want to upset you."

Tee just pulled away, "you nearly killed yourself," she whispered, starting to cry, "did you think about me?" she asked, "me coming back to discover you killed yourself. Because of me."

"I had been a terrible brother," Johnny said, starting to cry, "I thought I was worthless, I thought... I thought..." he broke down, Tee just hugged her big brother.

"I made you feel that way,"

"it was me too," Johnny corrected, "and..."  
"Kitty," Tee said, it wasn't a question, it was a statement. Johnny nodded, "you're better off without that bitch."

The two siblings stood silently in the corridor, "Johnny," Tee said finally, "I need you to remember, that however angry I get, and however many fights we have, remember that I still love you. You're my brother, and nothing can change that."

Johnny just nodded, "now wipe your eyes," Tee commanded, "you can't miss physics."  
"Why are you out of class?" Johnny suddenly asked, returning to his usual self. Tee just grinned,

"I'm going back," she told him, smiling again.

Xxx

"How did Jemima find out?" Rick asked, evidently stressed out by her comments from the previous day.

"It's her hair," Ari muttered,

"what?" Erin asked,

"it's why her hair is so big," Arietta said, then whispered, "it's full of secrets."

Erin and Rick just glared at the Chinese girl, "I'll just go over there," Ari said, nodding awkwardly before sprinting across the room and plonking herself down of Sam's lap.

"Miss Rosenberg that is Miss Carter's seat, not yours," the teacher called when she entered the room.

"Sam's happy to share with me," Ari replied, grinning, leaning on Sam.

"Well I'm not, go back to your own seat," she commanded, Arietta simply rolled her eyes, while Sam kept hold of Ari's hand for an extra second. Ari looked back to her best friend, there eyes met, they smiled, then Sam let go of her hand and Arietta walked back to her table.

She met Erin's eyes, Erin was confused, unsure of what she had just seen. Trying, in vain, to work out what was going on between Sam and Arietta.

It was in vain, because neither Sam nor Arietta had a clue.

Xxx

Then there was Kitty.

Sat on the other side of the classroom.

Wondering when everything had gone wrong.

Johnny had just returned to the class, glared at her, then sat down next to Jemima. They had started chatting immediately, or flirting. From the other side of the classroom she couldn't tell.

Firstly she didn't understand, Johnny and her had only broken up less than a week beforehand, and he was over her already and was straight away flirting with Jemima. Who wasn't even half as pretty as Kitty. She was just weird, and Welsh.

Weird and Welsh.

A weird Welsh boyfriend snatcher, who had grabbed _her _Johnny after a day of break up.

Then, as if her life wasn't already shit enough, her best friend dumped her for a boy, and Tee, Tyler and Frank had stopped being even mildly interested in Kitty.

And it was infuriating.

She had become insignificant, and no one seemed to like her any more, even _that _Arietta bitch seemed to be more popular than her. But then again Sam didn't live in the Dumping Ground any more so she didn't count, and Jemima could hardly be considered a person, so technically the two girls were as popular as each other.

Even her own brother, who she met once or twice in the recent months, hadn't contact her. In fact on the visits to see her he spent more time joking with his girlfriend, and Arietta.

Arietta was where it got bad.

Firstly she was insensitive and up herself, then she felt she couldn't share her past. Felt it was too traumatizing to even recite to her new house mates.

What a fucking bullshitter.

Then Sam, _her _friend ran off with Arietta.

Then Erin and Rick came home, and then...

she was stuck by herself in the minibus.

Everyone else was in a group but her.

Even that over-dramatic fuck-take, and the Welsh weirdo.

Kitty had thought Arietta was the worst person she would have to put up with in the Dumping Ground, but then Jemima turned up.

She needed to turn back to a time, before either bitch was in her life.

Maybe she could...

**Please Review and please go onto my home page to vote for Sam and Ari's ship name.**


	29. Paint

**Chapter 29**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing, no one apart from Ari and her Grandparents know that Sam is a lesbian. Actually no one knows Ari is a lesbian.**

**As for a TBR/Doctor Who crossover, hmm... that could be interesting... I'll get back to you.**

**Actually I don't even need to get back to you. I'm already writing it.**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**I apologize if the end of the chapter makes no sense, I wrote it at 6AM so you guys would get an update this weeekend.**

"I am NOT Gretchen Wieners," Ari stated,

"you so are," Sam argued, "you would totally start out in the plastics, and then end up with the Cool Asians."

Ari pouted, "who's Regina George?"

"I would say Erin, but Erin's closer to Cady," Sam considered for a moment.

"Kitty," Ari said, "Kitty is Regina George, and Jemima would be Karen. Just to make life highly ironic. Anyway what colour paint did you get?"

The two girls were setting up Sam's room, for the decorating. Sam bite her lip, looking excited.

"Well," she started,

"well,"

"well, as you can see the window makes up most of the 4th wall, and it consequently lets in loads of light. So I am going to paint my room black but..."  
"Is a good butt or a bad butt. I am personally a big fan of good butts, like yours, you have a great butt, like... and I'm rambling," Ari muttered, "please, carry on."  
"Ok but I have brought in other paint, and I want to make it look like the people decorating had a paint fight."

"I'm in."

"Then of course we're having a sleepover," Sam said, Ari just grinned. 

Xxx

"Are we friends?" Jemima asked Johnny, who jumped, he had been tying his shoes and hadn't seen her. Johnny looked up, he considered for a moment.

"I guess we are," he said,

"shit," Jemima swore, "does this mean I have to buy you a present?"

"You don't have to,"  
"but you consider me a friend, so I have to buy you a present," Jemima consulted her notebook, "ok what is an acceptable amount to spend on a present for a friend?"

"I don't know," he told her.

"What if I spend too much?" Jemima questioned, "that's useful money, just... wasted on you."

"I don't think you understand the point of being friends," Johnny told her.

"I used to have a friend," Jemima interrupted, "I haven't seen her for nearly 5 years though."

"You don't have to buy me anything," Johnny told her,

"liar," Jemima declared, "I do."

Johnny just sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win against the strong-willed Welsh girl.

"Are you going to wear that for painting?" he asked, pointing at her clothes. She was dressed immaculately in her favourite jumper, and jeans.

"Yeah," she replied, "I don't have any old clothes."

"Come on, I'll find you something to borrow."

"Johnny, I'm really not going to fit anything of Tee's, and even though I'm closer in height to Erin I can't borrow anything from her," Jemima said,

"come on," he told her.

Xxx

Tee and Tyler were both laughing, it had been some stupid joke Tyler said about monkeys, and jam, and pickled onions.

They were dressed in their old clothes, ready to help Sam decorate. They were heading to Johnny's room, to collect him before heading next door. But for some odd reason he was standing outside his room.

"Why are you standing outside of your own room?" Tyler asked, "got locked out?"

"Jemima said I had to wait out here," Johnny told him, the two younger teens looked confused, "I leant her some clothes, since she has no old ones."

"She's really weird," Tyler commented, "she's like a female Gus."

"Well, I like her," Johnny told them, "she's a friend, and I need all the ones I can get right now."

Jemima Anderson was stood on the other side of the wall,

"Jemima are you ok in there?" Johnny called, Jemima wiped her eyes,

"yes," she called. She opened the door.

Tyler, Tee and Johnny just stared at the girl. She was unrecognisable. She seemed more...

human.

Yes. More human. More human than the girl who usually presented herself to them.

"We should go," she told them,

"yeah, we should," Johnny replied, after a moment, seeming more than a bit unfocused.

The 4 teens headed downstairs, "I have left my bag in the kitchen," Tee suddenly announced, so she sprinted off to the kitchen to get it. Leaving Johnny and Jemima standing awkwardly in the hallway.

"JOHNNY TAYLOR!" Gina yelled, "what are the rules about bringing strangers into the house, without asking permission?"

Johnny looked very confused, but Jemima simply pulled out her notebook and waved it in Gina's face.

"Gina," she said, sounding more Welsh than usual.

"Oh Jemima, I'm sorry," Gina replied, before walking away.

"Do I really look that different?" Jemima asked,

"yeah."

Xxx

_The 8 year old girl stared at the bill. They were in debt. The government benefits could not cover everyday essentials plus her Mum's medicine (which had no visible effect) and since her Mum couldn't work there was no income._

"_I see you have a vacancy," she told the man at Tesco,_

"_are you applying on the behalf of a sibling?" he asked her,_

"_no, I'm applying for me," she replied,_

"_sorry kiddo, you're too young," he said, laughing, the notion of an 8 year old applying for a job was hilarious to him._

_It wasn't to her._

_No where would employ an 8 year old._

_Except one profession._

Xxx

"Black? Why would you paint your room black?" Tee asked,

"I want to," Sam replied, passing her a roller.

The 6 teens got to work, after 3 minutes Tyler was bored.

"Can we do something while we paint?" Tyler asked,

"what do you suggest?" Sam asked, not really paying attention, Ari was painting... interesting stuff on wall.

"Truth or dare," he said proudly,

"where you profess your undying love for Tee," Sam said, Ari and Jemima looked confused, "you had to be there," she explained.

"Tee, truth or dare?" Tyler asked,

"truth," she said, hesitantly.

"How old were you when you had your first kiss, and who was it with?" Jemima questioned,  
"I was 13, and it was Tyler," Tee said, blushing slightly.

"Jemima, truth or dare?" Tee asked, the Welsh girl considered for a moment.

"Dare."

"I dare you to..." Ari paused, "go downstairs and ask Sam's grandparents for a cup of vinegar, give no reasoning."

Two minutes later Jemima returned and placed the cup of vinegar in the centre of the room.

"Ari," she said,

"truth," Arietta replied,

"if you stranded on a desert island forever, which friend would take with you?" Johnny asked her,

"Sam," Ari replied immediately, locking eyes momentarily with Sam, before going back to painting.

"Johnny," she then said.

"Dare," he said,

"I dare you..." Tee started, she looked to Tyler, he nodded. "I dare you to kiss Sam."

Johnny stared, stunned. Sam looked panicked, Ari looked unimpressed. Jemima stayed silent, just watching.

"For 10 seconds," Tyler added, "with tongues."

Sam put down her paint roller, "ok," she sighed, "let's get it over and done with." She looked to Ari, showing how uncomfortable she felt.

Johnny stepped forward. He kissed Sam.

"1, 2, 3..." Tee and Tyler shouted, counting. Ari didn't look at her friend, she just stared at wall.

"8, 9, 10," and Sam pulled away immediately, then walked over to Ari.

"Never doing that again," she hissed in her best friend's ear.

"Tyler, truth or dare?"  
"Dare," he replied,

"drink the cup of vinegar. All of it," Arietta commanded, sounding quite pissed, and in all fairness he had just made her... gir... best friend kiss a guy. She had a right to be.

Xxx

"If it is a girl, is it bad I still want to call her Mia Hope Walker?" Erin asked, Rick looked up from his guitar.

"I think it's bad that Jemima had a go at us," Rick replied,

"what she said was uncalled for," Erin told her boyfriend.

"I think we should still call her Mia Hope," Rick said, "it's beautiful, just like you."

Xxx

"Hello, I don't believe we have been introduced," Lynne Zhariatti said,

"Lynne this is Jemima, Jemima this is Lynne," Ari introduced the two of them.

"Jemima like Jemima Puddle Duck?" Lynne asked smiling, and surprisingly Jemima grinned.

"Yeah," she replied, "yeah."

"Could we have a drink please?" Arietta asked,

"of course dear."

"So how is the painting going?" Sam's grandma asked,

"successfully," Jemima told her, "we have painted 63% of the room so far, so we'll have finished the entire room by 1:42."  
"Ok, I'll prepare lunch for 2 then," Lynne said, "biscuit?"

Xxx

Kitty Barilo sat in her room which she shared with Erin, Erin who wasn't talking to her was with Rick like usual so she was alone.

And plotting.

She needed information about Jemima and Ari, how was she meant to get revenge on them when they were practically strangers?

It was a shame about the Office security cameras...

Xxx

They kept painting, doing the same repetitive pattern, over and over and over again.

Truth and dare was long over, and the talk had mutated into silence.

Sam stepped back, "I think we're done," she said, everyone paused, took a step back.

"Yeah we are," Tee said,

"we took 16 minutes more than I anticipated," Jemima said, checking her watch.

"The best bit is yet to come," Sam told the painters. "We'll be decorating my room by having a paint fight." 

Jemima shook her head, "I don't want to do that, and I need to go to town," she stated,

"that's ok, thank you for helping," Sam said,

"can I claim my free lunch before I leave?" Jemima asked.

Xxx

"You ready?" Sam asked, adjusting her safety goggles.

"Yeah," Tyler yelled, each teenager had a different colour pot of paint with a brush.

"3, 2, 1," Sam yelled, then paint was flying.

They were all flicking paint everywhere, the blacks wall which had dried, were now dripping with the other colours of paint.

Sam felt a huge splat against her back, she turned round to see Ari grinning like a maniac and before the blonde could do anything the Chinese girl had started painting her arm. Sam started painting Ari's other arm blue while Arietta started painting Sam's t-shirt.

Sam quickly painted a large strip down Ari's face, leaving the other girl surprised, and next thing she knew her best friend was chasing her round the bedroom.

The room was quite small, especially with 3 other painters, so within 10 seconds Ari had managed to pin Sam against a wall.

"This is quite homoerotic," Sam observed. Arietta just smiled, before pulling out her paintbrush and painting round Sam's figure, while the blonde girl was trying her hardest NOT to grab Ari, pin her against the wall and kiss her senseless. Since A. it would probably trigger a flashback for Ari, B. there were over people, C. they were people would talk, D. Sam was not in the mood to murder Tee,Tyler and Johnny.

Though she could murder Tyler twice for making her kiss Johnny.

"Done," Ari told her, stepping away.

"Could I do what you just did?" Sam asked, "paint your outline without causing you any... pain?"

Arietta paused for a second, paint was still flying between Tee, Tyler and Johnny, who hadn't been paying attention to the two girls.

Ari nodded, then quickly pressed herself against the wall, next to Sam's painting.

"Keep speaking," Ari urged her, not liking the feeling of being against a wall. Again.

"So I went downstairs this morning," Sam said, starting to paint, "and I made toast, then I went into the cupboard and found all this weird jams/chutney/marmalade selections, I found pumpkin gumbo, redcurrant and pepper jelly, and a multitude of jams that had no name, since their name labels had run so they were illegible." Sam pulled away, Arietta was staring at her eyes wide.

"1, 2, 3," Ari muttered,

"postbox," Sam whispered, taking Ari's hand and leading her away from the wall.

"I'm still here," Ari told her, squeezing her best friend's hand in a reassure.

Sam looked around the room, it was significantly painted.

"Ok troops, we're done," Sam yelled.

Within 5 minutes she had hustled Johnny, Tee and Tyler out the door. She came back up to discover Arietta sitting at the one white wall painting.

Painting with a small black paintbrush.

Chinese symbols on the wall.

Sam sat down beside her, "are you ok?" she asked,

"I'm tired," Ari replied honestly, putting down her paintbrush and leaning against Sam. Who put her arm around her exhausted friend.

"Come on Arietta," Sam said, "let's get you in the shower, then you can get into your pyjamas."

"But we're... meant to... marathon and um... talk for hours, it's a sleepover," Ari replied, speech oddly fragmented.

"Ari we can do that any time," Sam told her, "we have the rest of our lives. Plus you can't ill for Johnny's party tomorrow,"  
"that fucker deserves it," Ari muttered, "for kissing my girlfriend," Sam swore she heard.

"What did you say?" Sam asked.

Arietta looked up, "for kissing my best friend."

**Sorry I have to end there, but my train leaves in 50 minutes and I'm dressed, or fed, or washed etc.**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

**Please review.**


	30. I Have To Kiss Boris Johnson

**Chapter 30**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing, Teeler are not an item yet but give it time. I'm thinking New Years Kiss...**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing and on Our Time (And Relative Dimension In Space) To Shine**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Also in reality Frozen was released on the 6th December 2013, but for this chapter we'll have to pretend it was earlier, since Johnny's birthday is the 1st December.**

**I have posted the Our Time To Shine/Doctor Who crossover, and it is VERY weird but I hope you enjoy it.**

**BTW 100 REVIEWS! THANKS GUYS, LOVE YOU SOOOOO MUCH :)**

_She had followed the man through the streets, making sure she wasn't spotted. _

_He headed into the park, walking past the kiosk to the bridge. _

_The 8 year old followed him an found exactly what she had expected. _

_His dealer. _

"_The Coppers have been cracking down on us dealers," the dealer said, standing to measure out what the man had asked for. "Can't be in the same place two days in a row. I..." He looked up, "little girl," he cried before grabbing her. "She's a spy, the Police must have sent her."_

"_We should kill her, dump to body," the man suggested. _

"_Contrary to popular belief," the girl started, even though she was being pinned to the ground, "I am not with the Police. I am here with an offer, and if you decline the offer, I will report you, and all your clients, to the Police," she said. _

"_You don't know who I am, so how could you...?" He was cut off, _

"_Mr Dean Cooper, 16 Farmville Road, Splott," she told the drug dealer. He released her. _

"_What do you want?" He spat, _

"_Money," she replied, _

"_You want to bribe us with your silence?"_

"_No. I want a job. Help you and make money," she explained, "I'm an inconspicuous kid, I collect the drugs from a certain place and you get your clients to meet me near my school." She pointed at the school logo on her jumper. _

"_How much do you want?" Dean asked, _

"_I will be doing the transactions," she said, "so I will take 20% of every deal."_

"_That's..." He looked to the girl remembering the Police threat, "fine."_

_"Good," she told him, "let's get to work." _

Xxx

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Johnny, happy birthday to YOU," the Dumping Ground (excluding Ari since she was still at Sam's) sung, or rather screeched.

Johnny grinned while he was hugged by multiple people, but noticed that neither Jemima nor Kitty were in the kitchen.

Xxx

"You have declared war on us," Jemima stated, Kitty jumped. "You want revenge," she continued.

"Why would I want revenge? I'm not petty like you." Kitty said,

"So... Why were you attempting to break into the Office?" Jemima asked.

Kitty said nothing. Just walked away.

Xxx

"Happy birthday," Jemima said when she saw Johnny, she was heading to her room.

"Where are you going?" Johnny asked.

"My room," Jemima replied, he followed her into her cream room.

She grabbed her laptop and started typing various code that meant nothing to Johnny.

"What are you doing?" He asked, the Welsh girl simply shushed him. He watched her work and after 2 minutes a picture of the office appeared.

"Did you just hack the CCTV?" The now 14 year old boy asked, the 13 year old girl nodded. "How did you learn how to?" Johnny asked,

"When I first went into care I didn't know what to do with myself so I started working on my foster dad's laptop and I discovered I was able to hack it, and I..." She trailed off,

"What did you do?" Johnny asked,

"I may have put their house on the market, sold it and bought them my old flat in Cardiff," she told him, "I was home sick," she said, in a vain attempt to justify her actions.

She paused, before saying, looking genuinely confused, "for some reason they proceeded to kick me out."

Xxx

"What are you thinking?" Arietta asked Sam, Sam opened one eyelid to see her best friend practically sitting on top of her.

"Ari, I'm sleeping," she moaned,

"no you're not," Ari replied, flopping down onto her best friend.

"Oww," Sam cried, "Ari that hurts."

"Are you saying I'm fat?" Arietta asked, pouting.

"No, you're skin and bones, and really not comfortable," Sam replied.

"Well you're comfortable," the Chinese girl pointed out, "and warm."

Sam sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?" she asked,

"nearly 10," Ari replied, "you hungry? Oh, wait, you are always hungry."  
"Rude," Sam snapped, she paused for a moment. "But true."

Xxx

Johnny thanked Tyler and Tee for their presents, he still hadn't received one from Jemima, which he couldn't decide whether that was understandable or surprising.

He heard the front door open and heard laughing, "that's what I said but you know what they're like," Sam said,

"tell me about it," Ari replied, she looked up and saw Johnny sitting on the stairs.

"Happy birthday Johnny," she said, "I'll go and get your present," she sprinted up the stairs, leaving him with Sam.

There was an awkward silence between the two teens.

"About yesterday," Sam started, "do you like me?"

"What?! Like _like _you?" Johnny asked, "No!"  
"Ok," Sam replied, "I was hoped you wouldn't, since it would make everything a lot more awkward than necessary. Anyway happy birthday," she chucked him his present.

"Thanks," he replied,

"so we're going to McDonalds first, then we're going to the cinema. Right?" Sam asked,

"yep,"  
"cool."

Xxx

"So you two don't like each other?" Tee asked,

"we're just friends," Sam told her firmly, meanwhile Ari was unable to make eye contact with anyone on the table, in fear of having a laughing fit. Jemima however, was surveying the scene before her with mild interest.

"We're just friends," Johnny echoed Sam,

"I personally didn't think there were anything other than friends," Jemima piped up, "I thought Sam was a lesbian."

"JEMIMA!" Tee exclaimed, "you can't just say stuff like that."

"Like what?" Jemima questioned, Tee paused, unsure of what to say.

"You can't go round calling people lesbians," Tee replied,

"so you're saying that the idea of being a lesbian is wrong," Jemima commented, "I personally believe that since it is not their choice, you have no right to condemn them for it."

"I'm not homophobic," Tee argued, "it's just some people may be offended if someone calls them a lesbian, since lesbians aren't... well... you know, the prettiest people in existence."

Sam and Ari just sat in silence, trying their hardest not to laugh, they didn't find the conversation offence, they just found the idea of straight girls thinking there was no such thing as pretty lesbians ridiculous.

"I..." Sam started,

"we," Ari corrected,

"need,"

"the"  
"bathroom," they finished together.

"Well I can see where Tee is coming from," Ari said in the bathroom, as she was redoing her hair. "Lesbians aren't pretty,"  
"what are you then?" Sam asked, "bi?"

"Lesbians aren't pretty," Ari repeated smiling, she turned to face Sam, "lesbians are hot."

Xxx

"The film can't be above PG," Mike argued,

"but there are no good kids films on," Johnny replied,

"we could watch Frozen," Ari suggested,

"I don't want to spend my 14th birthday watching a Disney movie," he snapped.

Mike looked up at the board, "Johnny, it's Frozen or nothing."

Johnny looked up at everyone, all the younger ones (Harry, Mo and Jody) looked excited, and... actually everyone bar Bailey and Kitty looked pretty excited at the idea of watching the film.

He sighed.

"Ok, let's watch Frozen."

Xxx

Sam and Arietta didn't even have to look at each other, they just squeezed each other's hands. They both knew the other was crying.

Wishing that they could build a snowman with their sister.

Xxx

Jody looked at the small package in her hands, Bailey prodded her, his eyes wide.

"Is that drugs?" he asked.

Xxx

Johnny hated to admit it, but he was actually enjoying the film.

Xxx

Love Is An Open Door was playing, Rick and Erin looked at each other. "This is our song," Rick whispered to his girlfriend.

Xxx

"Oh my postbox," Sam muttered, Ari couldn't reply, her jaw was practically on the floor.

Elsa in her ice dress was hot.

Xxx

_They're really obvious, _Jemima thought, looking down the aisle at Sam and Arietta; they had been holding hands for the entirety of the film.

Xxx

The lights of the cinema came on, "Mike," Bailey called,

"what is it Bailey?" Mike asked, walking towards the boy, who simply pointed at the drugs in Jody's hand.

"I found them down the side of seat," Jody replied.

"Why would they be there?" Erin asked,

"what drug is it?" Tyler wondered at the same time.

"drop off point," Jemima told her immediately, "and that's cannabis."

"How do you know?" Kitty asked,

"I..." Jemima paused, "I learnt about drugs at my old school."

"We have to hand these over to the Police," Mike said.

Xxx

The entirety of the Dumping Ground was sat in the Police Station, being called up, one at a time to make statements.

Erin and Rick were talking/kissing/for-god's-sake-we-don't-want-to-watch-a-freaking-porno.

Bailey was moaning, Jody was making a statement, Tee was making up a story for Harry. Mo was drawing, Tyler and Johnny were bickering. Sam was talking to Frank and Faith, and Ari was scribbling out page after page of music and Jemima was... watching.

"Bailey Wharton," the policeman said, Bailey groaned and pulled himself from his chair.

"What are you writing?" Jemima asked Arietta,

"music," she replied, scribbling in minims and quavers.  
"Your own composition or..." she peered at Ari's work, "is this from Frozen?" she asked. Ari nodded. "You're able to write down the entire score from a film?!" Jemima exclaimed.

"Mozart could do it," Arietta replied, "end of let it go," she muttered, turned to the next page, and titled it _Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People_.

"That's amazing!" Jemima exclaimed, "does your memory extend to other details."  
"No," Arietta replied, "just music. I have AP, Absolute Pitch, also known as..."  
"Perfect Pitch," the Welsh girl interrupted, "the ability to recognise a note, key or tone without an aid. AP affects approximately 1 in 10000 people. Very impressive. Less impressive since you're Chinese, and Chinese is a tonal language. Hence why China has one of the largest percentages of people who have AP."

"Nice to know," Ari commented, continuing to scribble down the notations.

Jemima started humming a note, "F sharp," the Chinese girl told her immediately. Jemima changed note "B flat, C, E flat, G." Ari listed all the notes Jemima hummed, the Welsh girl looked unusually impressed.

"Jemima Anderson," the policeman called before she could drill Arietta more.

Xxx

"I spent my 14th birthday watching Frozen and in a Police Station," Johnny told Jemima.

"I know," she replied, raising an eyebrow in concern, "I was there."

Johnny let out a short laugh, "I know Jem," he said, smiling at the Welsh girl. She looked confused, this just made Johnny smile even more.

"What is it?" she asked, in reply he kissed her.

She looked at him, confused.

"Did Tyler dare you to do that?" she asked him,

"no," he replied firmly,

"Then why did you... kiss... me?"

"Because I wanted to do," he told her.

"Why?"

"Because I like you." Johnny said, Jemima looked panicked.

"But I like Tee, and Tyler, and Sam, and Arietta, and Boris Johnson. Do I have to kiss Boris Johnson? Is it a weird English tradition that you have to do on December the 1st. If so how did I not know about it, I'm meant to know everything. What happens if you don't kiss the people you like? Do you get cursed? Do you burn? Do you banished from the United Kingdom? Do you have to kiss them all? But I like my Mum, but she's dead. I don't want to kiss a corpse..."

Jemima's mind was racing, and her panic was growing, "and how will I get to Boris Johnson in time? It will be tomorrow by the time I find him..."

"Jem," Johnny said, "calm."

"I have to kiss Boris fucking Johnson, I can't be calm."

"You don't have to kiss Boris Johnson," Johnny told her, "I kissed you because I like you, but also because I... have a crush on you."

"So you kissed me because you want to crush me?" Jemima asked, looking worried.

"No, because I like you,"  
"but..."  
"Jem, I am attracted to you..."  
"but I'm not a magnet, while there are electrical currents in the muscles, but not to the extent that it could actually be attracted by a magnet," Jemima said, "and human muscles presumably have the same electrical current so technically humans would repel each other, instead of attract."

Johnny looked completely unsure how he could make Jemima understand, "wait here," he told her, he exited the room and ran down to Ari's.

He knocked on her door.

"Come in," Arietta called, he opened the door.

"Sam," he said, the blonde looked up,

"yeah," she said,

"what would another way to describe having a crush on someone?" he asked her, the two girls exchanged a look.

"To be infatuated," Sam suggested, looking at Ari, instead of Johnny.

"Thanks," he replied, before sprinting back to Jemima's room.

"That was weird," Arietta said finally,

"yeah," Sam replied.

"I am infatuated with you," he yelled, running into... Rick's room. Erin and Rick looked at him with utter confusion, "sorry, wrong room," he said.

He ran out and finally went into Jemima's room, "Jemima Anderson, I am infatuated with you," he told her.

"Oh," she replied, "ok," she looked back down at her laptop.

"Jem..." Johnny started, she looked back up at him, grinning.

"I thought you were going to tell me something I didn't know," she grinned,

"you knew," he said,

"well I knew _parts _of you... liked me," she replied, emphasizing _parts _and looking in a particular... region.

"Wait..." Johnny paused, "you've known exactly what I've been trying to saying for the last... you little..." he shook his head, in annoyance.

Jemima got up, laughing, "you love me really," she told him.

Then she kissed him.

"Happy birthday," she whispered.

**Please review**

**Please read Our Time (And Relative Dimension In Space) To Shine **

**And please review**

**In the last few chapters I have been writing scenes, featuring a girl, who is a current Dumping Ground resident. If you have any idea who she is, please tell me in a review.**


	31. True and Trapped (In A Lift)

**Chapter 31**

**A Year and a Half ago today I created the character of Arietta (29/4/13)**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing and the crossover, I'm glad you liked it. I have absolutely no idea how my brain creates that utter strangeness. And adding this story to favourites.**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing on this and the crossover, sorry the Torchwood/Buffy parts were confusing.**

**In The Days Before Tomorrow Jemima's surname was Ditectif, but in this and Vodka, Bleach and £50 of Ready Meals it was Anderson.**

**As for Vodka, Bleach and £50 of Ready Meals, it is currently on hiatus. I'm not sure whether this hiatus is temporary or permanent, but when I write I can only focus on one long story at a time, so I chose to write Our Time To Shine over that. So maybe once I finish Our Time To Shine I might go back to it, but I really don't know.**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing, and sorry but no Bailey isn't mystery girl, since – last time I checked – he's not a girl. **

**This chapter starts on Thursday 5th December 2013 and then skips to the weekend**

**By the way it is REALLY LONG **

Rick, Erin and Mike sat together in the waiting room,

"Erin Walker," the Nurse called, the three of them all stood up and followed the Nurse to the room.

"Hello I'm Doctor Stevens, this is your 12 week scan, there is nothing to be worried about," she smiled at Erin. "Please can you lie on the bed," she told the 14 year old.

She rolled Erin's shirt up, "this will be cold," she told the girl, before spreading the gel onto her abdomen.

Erin winced a little at the cold, "ok, are you ready to see your baby?" Doctor Stevens asked, Erin nodded. The Doctor picked up a scanner and ran it over the gel, next thing they knew there was a picture of the baby on the screen.

"Wow," Rick breathed, "is it a girl or a boy?" he asked,

"I'm sorry but we're unable to tell you until your 20 week scan," the Doctor replied,

"they're beautiful," Erin said,

"can you talk me through the scan?" Mike asked.

"Of course," the Doctor told him, "this is the head, and there are the arms, legs," she took a step back. "Are you sure you are 12 weeks pregnant?" she asked Erin,

"no," the teen girl replied,

"ok, because I believe your child is closer to 14 weeks, that's not a problem."  
"So can you give an approximate birth date?" Mike asked,

"May the 17th," the Doctor replied immediately.

The Doctor and Mike walked away to talk more, while Erin and Rick stared at the screen.

"That's our baby," Rick said,

"I know," Erin whispered,

"that's our baby," Rick repeated, "our baby which WE made."

"Our Mia Hope Walker," Erin replied, stroking the screen, "or Alfie Eric, or our Mia Hope."

"Can we have a picture?" Mike asked the Doctor, who nodded. She printed off about 5 pictures, all dated 5/12/2013,

"Your 20 week ultrasound will be on Thursday the 9th of January," she told them.

Erin and Rick spent the entire journey home staring at the photos of their unborn child.

Xxx

"I mean it's crazy, we finish each other's," Sam sung,

"POSTBOXES," Ari yelled.

The heard a car pull up the driveway and the front door close. "We need to tell Mike," Ari said, Sam nodded, grabbing her best friend's hand and the two girls charged downstairs.

"Mike, we need to talk to youuuu," Arietta yelled, Erin and Rick just stared at the two girls, like they were crazy.

"Does it..."  
"NOW!" Sam yelled,

"ok," Mike replied, leading them into the Office.

"It's about Christmas," Sam said grinning,

"oh," Mike mentally cursed, the up and coming seasonal holiday had completely slipped his mind.

"My Grandparents have offered to do all the cooking," Sam told him, Mike stared stunned. "They both love to cook, and my Nonno is the stereotypical Italian. They said to ask you,"

"yes, of course," Mike said,

"good," Sam replied, "they probably would have been really offended if you said no, plus they cook enough to feed an army. I'll make sure they do a traditional English Christmas dinner, because I'm not sure how much people will appreciate a traditional Italian one. Anyway I'll go and tell them."

Sam left.

"I'll go and have a shower," Ari said awkwardly, "because personal hygiene is important." Then she followed her friend out the door.

Xxx

Kitty was exhausted, she spent the last few days trying to find out ways to get revenge at Arietta and Jemima, but Jemima was able to stop her plots, before she had even decided what her plot was.

She went to the bathroom to wash the red dye from her hands, because Jemima fucking Anderson had placed some sort of dye on the doorknob to her (Jemima's room) so when Kitty tried to look around her hands got dyed, and Jemima said that she would happily use that as evidence for Mike.

She entered the bathroom, and heard a screech, someone was in the shower. Kitty spun round to see Ari, who was trying to hide herself under the towel.

"Sorry," Kitty apologized, but she had seen something that she could use to her advantage...

The scars, that covered Arietta's torso and the bones that seemed way too prominent to be healthy.

Kitty Barilo had a plan.

A plan which she would launch on Monday.

Xxx

"Isn't she beautiful?" Erin asked, thrusting the picture under Sam's nose. She had been showing everyone. Multiple times.

"You know it's a girl?" Sam questioned,

"we don't know, but I feel that she is. My Mia Hope Walker," Erin said, stroking the photo.

"Excuse me," Arietta spat, Erin turned round,  
"Ari, don't," Sam mouthed, but Ari was too busy shooting daggers at Erin to notice/care.

Arietta stalked up to Erin, she snatched the picture off the other (slightly younger) teenage girl and ripped it into pieces.

"I am sick to fucking death with you," Arietta snapped, "I have tried and tried to keep my patience with you, but I have had enough. You can't take a fucking hint. You're using your pregnancy as an advantage, to get the things you want. To get you out of your chores, to get the last 5 packets of chocolate biscuits, to justify shouting at people for NO. FUCKING. REASON." 

Everyone was watching the two girls, "you act like your baby is a burden. Oh poor little you, with you perfect little boyfriend, who is in a perfect little children's home, oh no, you weren't birth control, oh no you got pregnant. Oh no the fucking drama. Oh poor little me. I'm pregnant because I chose to have sex, with a guy I would have only known for about a month, oh no he's standing by my side. Oh no, my baby is going to grow up with two loving parents. Oh no, my life is so fucking terrible."

Arietta shouted.

"What right do you have? Erin growled, "to stand here and insult me. You don't know what it's like for me? To have people call me a slut where ever I go."

"Well whose fault is that, you let your pretty boy stick his thing up there, you should deal with the fucking consequences. Take it on the chin like a woman, not like some pathetic little boy with man flu."

"Tad sexist Ari,"

"you know what Sam," Arietta yelled, turning to look at Sam, "is that jumper new?" she asked,

"yep," Sam nodded,

"I like it," Ari replied, "very Gay-Stew meets Tegan and Sara and..." before she could continue, Erin punched her.

Very hard.

Xxx

"Thank god it's Saturday," Ari said, it had been 2 days since the shoot off between her and Erin, and Ari still had some beautiful bruising that really brought out her eyes, on her left cheek.

"In two days I'm going onto crutches," Faith replied, excited.

"And it's nearly Christmas," Tee pointed out,

"are you my friends?" Jemima asked,

"yeah," Tyler replied,

"all of you?" the Welsh girl asked, they all nodded. "Shit," she swore, "I'm going to have to waste loads of money on presents for all of you."

"Well, from what I remember," Johnny started, "you never gave me a birthday present and ow," Jemima elbowed him. Hard.

Jemima opened up her notebook, "which of you expect presents from me?" she asked, most people raised their hand, and Jemima ignored most of them.

"Tee, Tyler, Arietta, Sam who isn't here,"  
"what about me?" Johnny asked,

"do I look I'm made of money?" Jemima asked, then sighed, "Johnny," she muttered, adding his name to the list.

Xxx

"Why does Sam have to come everywhere with us?" Kitty complained,

"because," Ari said, "she's better company than you."

Kitty just huffed, spinning around "bit harsh," Sam muttered,

"not really," Arietta replied,

"I believe it was justified," Jemima said, looking up from her notebook.

They were all sat on the minibus. In a traffic jam.

"Mike," Tyler yelled down the bus, "can you put some music on."  
The rest of the Dumping Ground shouted in agreement.

"Ok," he replied, and put on the radio and set it to the classical music channel.

"F sharp minor," Ari declared immediately, while everyone looked unimpressed.

"Do we have to listen to the old person music?" Bailey shouted, Tracy nodded in agreement, while Gina made a face of disgust. Making everyone laugh. Except Arietta.

"This is not old person music," she shouted, "this is Haydn's Farewell Symphony, written in 1772, so shush."

Everyone was silent for a moment, then they started shouting at Mike again.

Xxx

2 long hours later they finally pulled in the shopping centre care park.

"Ok kids, before we let you loose we have a few rules," Mike said, "1. no purchasing of live animals,"  
"is buying a dead animal perfectly acceptable then?" Jemima questioned, pen ready.

"2. No buying dead animals."  
"Evidently not," the Welsh girl replied.

"3. No burger diving, 4. Don't buy, or attempt to buy products which you are too young for, also don't get older members of the dumping ground to buy them for you. 5. No flash mobs, please not after last time. 6. No breaking the law. 7. No taking out loans. 8..."

"Mike are we here to shop or be lectured?" Erin asked.

Xxx

"Be back by 5," Mike yelled, as everyone charged off in various directions.

Arietta found herself with Faith, "so where do you want to go?" Faith asked,

"I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to get everyone, so I don't know," Ari told her.

"HMV?" Faith suggested, Arietta nodded, the two girls walked in silence. "Been getting into any more fights with pregnant girls recently?" Faith asked,

"nope, fortunately not," Ari replied, "I really don't need any more bruises."

"If you want to talk about it...?" Faith suggested,

"so you can give me really good advice, but I can ignore you and shut at you, then I'll talk to someone who has been through the same thing, and understand you were right," Ari replied.

"I'm sorry about what I said, when I first went into the wheelchair," Faith told her.

"It's understandable," Arietta assured her.

The two girls stared at the CDs on the shelf in front of them, Faith picked up a random CD, "my brother likes them," she told the Chinese girl.

"You have a brother?" Ari replied, surprised.

"Yeah, an older one, Razz. He ran out on me after Gran died, went off with his gang," Faith told her, "I met him in summer, after spending about a year thinking he was dead. We talk occasionally," she looked at the other girl, "do you have any siblings?"

"Yes," Ari replied, "lots of them. But only a few of them feel like my family."

"What were there names? The ones you considered family anyway..."  
"Firstly Symphony, my favourite sibling of all. Then there was my brother Bai, then two of my sisters that I was not as close to but still considered them my siblings: Aria and Lily."  
"Aria and Arietta, your parents had an... interesting name..."  
"we chose our own names," Arietta interrupted, "we lived in a world that was being constantly westernised, and it was the people who left behind the Chinese traditions who succeeded most in fields such as Music. So we all changed our names."

"What was your birth name?" Faith asked,

"Daiyu," Ari replied, "then my sister Symphony was Jing Yi, Aria was Li Gui Ying, Lily was Li Li and Bai was Bai."

"Why did you and Aria choose similar names?"

"Aria was my big sister, like Symphony, and both of them were my role models. There isn't a name which means little Symphony, but the name Arietta means _little Aria _so it seemed fitting."

"Are they in care?" Faith asked, "you don't have to answer my questions if you don't want to," she added.

"It's fine, no. Bai is currently 23, while Aria and Lily are still living in China."  
"How old would they be right now?" Faith asked,

"Aria is 16 currently, while Lily is nearly 14," Ari said, "Lily is nearly exactly a year younger than me."

"What about Symphony?"

Arietta sighed.

"If Symphony was still alive she would be 27," she told Faith.

Faith looked stunned, unsure of what to say.

"It was suicide," Arietta explained, "she didn't want to marry the man our parents wanted her to. I'm glad she did it."

"Ari," Faith said,

"I don't mean it like that, I love her, but she would have been so unhappy in that marriage and I would be living in our house in Beijing. I would rather that she died before the unhappiness and I ended up in care instead of with our... parents."

Xxx

"What shall we buy Ari?" Johnny asked Sam,

"old person music?" Tyler suggested.

"No," Sam replied, "she probably has it all, and the extended version."

"Aside from music, what does Ari actually like?" Johnny wondered,

"Frozen," Jemima said, "and I'm buying her this," she held up an Elsa phone case.

"I want one," Sam declared.

Tyler and Johnny dived to grab the last phone case to give to Sam.

But in the process they knocked over the display behind them.

"Oi, you lot!" a security guard yelled.

"Shit," Jemima swore.

Xxx

"Jody, we are meant to be buying presents for people," Tee tried to explain.

"I am," Jody replied, looking up from her trolley, "these are presents for me."

"Jody, you don't need that many chocolate biscuits," Frank told her.

"I do," she replied, pushing the trolley towards the check outs.

"That will be £37.50," the cashier said, and Jody passed her two £20 notes.

"There's your £2.50 change," she told the girl.

"Thanks," Jody said, attempting to grab all 9 of the bags.

As they were walking away from the shop Tee asked, "Jody how much money do you have left to spend on presents for everyone else?"  
"£2.50," the girl replied grinning.

Tee and Frank, just exchanged a look, they couldn't see this going well.

Xxx

"Why are we here?" Bailey asked Mo,

"it's full of treasure," Mo told him, eyes wide.

"It's just rubbish," Bailey sneered.

"No it isn't," Mo said dashing off.

Xxx

"Look we can do this the easy way or the hard way," the security guard said,

"what's the hard way?" Jemima questioned, pen poised.

"Just give us your parent's number," he told the care kids.

"We can't do that," Sam told him,

"why not?"  
"we're in care," Johnny explained,

"well get your carer then."

Xxx

"Can I buy this for Sapphire?" Harry asked, holding up a giraffe, almost identical to Jeff. Kitty rolled her eyes; it was just her luck to get stuck with Harry, plus all the careworkers.

Tracy went over to help Harry sort out the money to pay for the giraffe, "so Kitty..." Mike started, but he was cut off by his phone ringing.

"Hello," he said, "yes, this is Mike Milligan, may I ask who is calling? They've what, yes, I understand. I will be with you in a few minutes."

Xxx

"_We have found an excessive amount of Class A and B drugs in the flat, we'll have to investigate," the Police Inspector said, his colleague walked over to the 9 year old girl._

"_Do you know anything about the drugs?" he asked her, she nodded, she looked up at him and putting her hands in the air._

"_I know supplying Class A drugs has a sentence of lifetime in prison, so you might as well arrest me now."_

"_Excuse me?" the police officer asked, confused.  
"Mum can't work, so I carry them so we can pay the bills," the 9 year old girl responded._

_The Police Officer looked horrified, "can I see my Mum?" the girl asked,_

"_not right now," he told her, "we need to go down to the police station first."_

Xxx

"I am so ashamed of you," Mike declared,"you're some of our oldest residents, you're meant to be role models."

"yeah cos the others are great role models. Erin's 14 and pregnant, Tee ran away and only a few weeks ago she stayed out all night on multiple occasions, came home drunk and bunked off school. Faith can cruel and manipulative when she wants to be. Ari can be a massive bitch. Frank used to scam people out of money. Rick got Erin pregnant. We are giving the younger ones such a bad image of teenage life, we might as well go all out because if we do any good, they'll hardly notice," Jemima said.

Everyone just stared at her, Mike felt like the Welsh girl had stamped all over his heart. It felt like she was saying his life's work was pointless, saying that he helped no one and highlighting all the negatives.

"Can we go?" she asked, "I really want to pay for this phone case, actually wait I'm a care kid, I should just steal it."

Jemima just stormed off, Sam, Johnny and Tyler looked around.

"Can we go?" Sam asked Mike, he just nodded.

Xxx

"We should get this for Mia," Erin said, holding up an adorable sleep suit.

"Erin," Rick said,

"what?" she asked, grinning at her boyfriend.

"I don't think we should call her Mia," he told her.

"But you said you liked it?" she said confused.

"I do Erin, I really do but it's been met with so much opposition I think it would be easier if we named her something else," Rick said.

"But I want to call her Mia Hope," Erin argued,

"but everyone else is against it," Rick replied, "and there are plenty of other names that are pretty like Jenny, and Abigail, or Ella, or Isabelle. There are so many other names you could choose."

Erin just glared at him, chucked the sleep suit on the floor and stormed away.

Xxx

"I know what we can buy Ari," Sam suddenly exploded, Johnny, Tyler and Jemima turned to stare at her. "She has a charm bracelet. We can buy her charms."  
"Aren't charms really expensive?" Tyler asked,

"depends on the brand, but in here there is a shop that does them at a reasonable price."

Xxx

Faith and Arietta emerged from the shop, clutching a few bags and walked immediately into Jody, Tee and Frank.

"Presents from Tesco? Interesting choice," Arietta said.

"They're Jody's," Tee explained.

"Do you really need 9 bags of..." Faith peered into the bags, "chocolate biscuits."

"You bet," Jody replied.

"You can't eat that much of a food and still like it," Ari told the girl.

"How could you not like chocolate biscuits?" Jody asked rhetorically.

"We better get going," Faith said, "I've got loads I still need to buy."  
"Yeah, see ya later," Ari called as they walked towards the lift.

"Wait," Tee called, the two girls turned back, "I've forgotten my phone and I need to call Johnny. Can I borrow one of yours?" she asked,

"mine is broken," Faith replied,

"you can have mine," Ari said unlocking it, and passing it to the younger girl, "give it back to me on the minibus."

"Thanks Ari," Tee replied.

The two girls headed towards the lift, since Faith was still in her wheelchair and couldn't take the escalator.

Faith pressed the button for Floor 2, the doors closed, then they started going up and then there was a shudder and the lift stopped.

"We're in between floor 1 and 2," Ari pointed out,

"we'll be moving in a second," Faith said.

Arietta lasted approximately 20 seconds, but then she was hitting all the buttons. Trying to get the lift to move.  
"Ari," Faith said, the Chinese girl ignored her, "Arietta." Faith grabbed the girl's hand. "Calm down," she said.

"I...I...I... I hhhhate," Arietta stuttered, tears running down her face.

Faith pulled herself out of her wheelchair and hugged the younger girl.

"Ari, you're safe," she told her.

Xxx

"Oh look at me strut, don't I look I just look fabulous daaaarling," Sam said, in a ridiculous voice, trying (and failing) to walk in a pair of ridiculously high silver glittery high heels. She pouted in front of the mirror, "oh hello gorgeous," she said to her reflection.

"Oh that look was sooooo last year daaaaarling," Jemima replied, strutting up to the older girl, while modelling a pair of fluffy slippers and a dressing gown. "Mode de nuit is soooo in right now."

"Who are these girls?" Johnny asked Tyler,

"absolutely no idea," Tyler replied.

"Oh my god that dress is so fetch, I need to try it on," Sam screeched grabbing a hideous purple dress, and sprinting to the changing rooms.

Xxx

The two girls crouched on the floor, Ari was shaking and crying, while Faith was holding her.

"You're safe," Faith kept whispering, trying to think of how to help the girl.

"_I love music," Arietta said, "music is me. It makes me happy, and makes everything better."_

"The Grand Old Duke of York, he had 10000 men, he marched them up to the top of the hill and he marched them down again," Faith sung, "and when they were up, and when they were down there were down. And when they were only halfway up they were neither up nor down."

She looked to Ari, the girl seemed to have calmed down slightly, and the singing was calming Faith down so she continued.

"Twinkle twinkle little star..."

Xxx

"Sam, you look like a drag queen," Johnny told her, the blonde girl just rolled her eyes.  
"Whatever bitches, your just jealous cos you ain't half as fabulous as moi," she flicked her short hair, and proceeded to strut up and down the length of the shop. "I feel pretty, oh so pretty. I feel pretty and witty and GAY!"

Jemima came out of the dressing room, "wow," Johnny said, Sam turned to look at the Welsh girl and nearly fell off her high heels.

"I don't like it," she told them,

"I do," Sam replied,

"so do I," Johnny said.

"I better not buy it then," she told them, "can't go round buying clothes, that make people think I'm attractive, and it's way too expensive."

"It's £20," Tyler said, reading the label.

"Jemima, that's a good deal," Sam pointed out, "that's the same price as a decent pair of jeans, and that dress is cute."

Jemima shook her head firmly and returned to the changing room,

"we're buying her that dress," all three of them said together.

Xxx

"The sun and the rain," Arietta whispered to Faith, "I like that song."

"I don't know it," Faith replied,

"by Madness? It's a good song," she sighed, wiping away her tears.

"We'll be out of here soon," Faith said, attempting to reassure Ari.

"Shouldn't you be in your wheelchair?" Ari asked,

"long as I'm sitting down I'm fine," she responded.

"I'm guessing you'll want to know about my past," Arietta suddenly said,

"no," Faith responded, "if you want to tell me, then you can tell me. But you have the right to tell people at your own leisure, and you don't even need to tell them."

"Well, you are the person I would tell next," Ari told her, "I told Sam, and Jemima found out cos she's a nosy bitch."

"How am I going to condense my past into a short story?" Ari asked rhetorically. "Right, basics, I was born on the 1st of January 1999. I was the 14th child in my family, I was born in Beijing, I know one child rule, just forget about that. It is unimportant. Ok when I was 9 I moved to England with my big sister Symphony and brother Bai. Then there was some exciting stuff, i.e. seeing the world. Then in late 2011 we settled down in London. Make sense so far?"

Faith nodded, "good," Ari said. "Right, then my parents turned up and tried to force Symph into a marriage with a guy but she killed herself night before the wedding, because she was a lesbian. Then my parents took me back to China, they made me marry Chao, Symphony's fiancé. He quickly turned abusive, and I didn't please him, so within a month he sold me to an American gang. An American gang located in Australia."

She took a deep breath, "I was transported by cargo ship, then truck to the camp. Then I was used as a slave; responsible for the cooking, and the cleaning and..." she paused, "making sure all the men were pleased sexually."

She looked up at Faith, "it was horrible," she told her,

"how old were you?" Faith asked, not looking her in the eye.

"13," Arietta replied, "and when they weren't... using me, they would keep me in a cell. About the same size as this room."

"I'm guessing Mia was your daughter," Faith said, Ari's eyes locked with the older girl's. "guessing that from the adverse reaction you provided when Erin announced her plan to name her baby that."

"You're practically Jemima," Arietta told her, smiling slightly.

"Her name was, is, was, I don't know whether to use past or present. Her name was Mia Hope Rosenberg,"

"sounds better than Mia Hope Walker," Faith commented,

"infinitely," Ari replied.

"What happened to her?" Faith asked, trying her best not to be insensitive.

"Still born," Arietta told her, almost matter-of-factly, "the men beat me until I miscarried. I was 8 months pregnant then... yeah." She shook her head very rapidly, "we're not talking about that."  
"Ok," Faith said softly, "I understand."

"Then I was rescued, and I was in hospital, then I was put in a specialist care home, then about 6 months later I was sent to Elmtree," Arietta explained.

"That soon?" Faith asked, Ari just nodded.

"I wish I still had my phone," Arietta said standing up, signalling the conversation was over. "Bit annoying, the one time I lend someone my phone I get stuck in a lift. Just my luck," she laughed, and Faith managed to muster up a false smile, unable to understand how quickly Ari's mood and behaviour could change.

Xxx

"Jemima, we can't shop for presents at the pound store," Sam declared,

"Jody, you can't buy presents for people at the pound shop," Tee said at almost the same time.

"Why not?" Jody questioned,

"because..." Tee looked to Frank for help, he just shrugged.

"It's the thought that counts, not how much money you spend," Jody said.

The two parties both headed towards the pound shop.

"Look 80 plastic cups for a pound," Jemima said, "that's 20 cups each. See, sorted."

"Are we only worth 25p each?" Johnny asked,

"well technically if the world's wealth was distributed equally each person would only have $714, that is equivalent to £443 British pounds. Which means that 25p would be 1/1772 of your life wealth. So in relative terms that makes it an acceptable amount to spend on a Christmas present."

"You are so stingy," Johnny declared,

"Johnny!" Tee exclaimed,

"what?!" he asked, "she thinks it's acceptable to spend 25p on Christmas presents for her friends and she's hardly skint, plus she bought Arietta a phone case. Aren't we worth that?!"

"Well, if your not going to grateful I won't fucking bother," Jemima shouted, throwing the plastic cups at the ground.

"Well, I didn't want 20 plastic cups anyway," Johnny shouted after her.

"That phone case wasn't for sale," Sam commented, everyone turned to look at her, "she got it out of a bin."

"What?!"  
"That is disgusting," Tyler commented,

"want to know what I think?" Sam asked,

"what?"

"I think you were too harsh on her Johnny," the blonde said, "1/1772 isn't bad going."

Xxx

Jemima stormed towards the lifts, making sure to avoid the one with a massive queue. She needed about 20 seconds alone time to gather her thoughts.

Plus crying in toilets is overrated.

She pressed the button for the lift, she looked up at the display. According to it, the lift was at Floor 12.

But there was no Floor 12, the second floor was the top one.

The reality dawned on her very quickly, the lift was stuck between floors.

Jemima crouched down to the bottom of the lift doors, she looked around, she couldn't see any officials around.

She sighed, put her hands on the doors and forced them to open. The roof of the lift was about a step above floor level.

Jemima took a deep breath and stepped onto the lift roof; making sure to avoid any cables.

She knocked on the roof of the lift.

Xxx

Arietta and Faith were sitting on the floor, and suddenly they heard a knocking coming from above them. Both girls screamed.

"We could open the hatch," Arietta suggested, "so we could get out?!"

"Why didn't we think of that?" Faith asked,

"can I stand on your wheelchair?"

"I'll make sure it doesn't move," Faith responded.

Arietta forced the roof door open, and screamed again out of shock. Since she found Jemima Anderson's face hovering over the hatch.

"God Jem," Ari shouted, "what the hell are you doing?"

"Rescuing you," Jemima replied, "I'll pull you up."

About 2 minutes, as Faith was getting free there was a shout.

"What are you kids doing?" a man yelled, and the crowd that had gathered parted to reveal the security guards from before. Jemima rolled her eyes. "Oh it's you again," he groaned.

"I was rescuing my friends from the lift," she told him.

"We've been trapped in there for about half an hour," Faith declared,

"I had a panic attack," Ari said, "we could sue."

The three teens crossed their arms, and looked the security guard hard in the eye.

"I call management," he stuttered,

"and I'd like my wheelchair back," Faith declared.

Xxx

"I only drink Earl Grey," Arietta told the security guard,  
"I'm sorry but we..." the security guard started,

"there's a Tesco downstairs, chop chop," she told him.

"Ari," Faith said, watching the security guard as he ran off.

"What?! I've been stuck in a lift for half an hour, I deserve the best tea," she said, putting her feet up onto the desk.

"What happened to complain about these biscuits?" Jemima asked,

"patience, young one," Arietta declared. "Soon as he comes back, I will request more biscuits, and since all the lifts and escalators have been closed down."  
"He'll have to go up and down those stairs twice," Jemima said.

"Then if I'm feeling particularly cruel, I might announce I'm gluten free, or wheat intolerant."

"Wheat is gluten," the Welsh girl pointed out.

"Whatever."

The three girls sat in silence sipping their drinks, "it's nearly 5," Faith pointed out,

"how long does suing take?" Ari asked,

"a long time, and we will not sue them," Jemima declared, "anyway when you reach 18 you're entitled to millions."

"Yep," Ari said, she turned to Faith, "cos of the whole slave thing, I'm entitled to huge benefits for my entire life. I could honestly just buy a mansion and have loads of servants, and I'll be able to party with the rich and famous. I will practically be aristocracy."

"Meanwhile us peasants will be working," Faith said to Jemima.

"All hours of the night as a private detective," Jemima added, "and Ari you can recommend me to all, I repeat all, of your rich friends and you'll be married to Sam."

Arietta nearly spat out her tea.

"I'm sorry, what?!" she asked, when she had recovered from the shock.

"You two like each other so badly, and it is so obvious," Jemima commented,

"well I just thought they were best friends," Faith said,  
"they are. Best friends who eye fuck continuously, and flirt, so much flirting," Jemima commented,

"how can you notice things about me that I don't?" Arietta asked,

"you're only human," the Welsh girl commented.

"And you're not? Faith asked.

Jemima said nothing, just sipped her tea. Elusively.

Xxx

"Has anyone seen Jemima, Ari or Faith?" Mike asked, "Johnny?"

"Why me?" Johnny asked, he sighed and shook his head, "not since Jemima stormed out of pound land."

"I'll go and look for them," Tracy suggested,

"no," Mike said, "we'll stick together."

"I'll call Ari," Sam suggested, dialling her best friend's number, immediately the phone in Tee's hand rang.

"I borrowed it from Ari," Tee said, "right before we went to Pound Land."

"We could call Faith," Johnny suggested,

"Faith's phone's broken," Frank reminded him.

"What about Jemima?" Rick asked,

"I think I've found them," Sam said pointing, the three girls approached the mini bus.

"YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR WHY YOU'RE LATE!" Mike yelled,

"we were trapped in a lift," Ari said, smiling sweetly.

"Oh," he said,

"yeah, well Faith and I were, but Jem rescued us, and we were just sorting legal business with the manager. We got shopping vouchers," Arietta said,

"long as we don't sue," Faith said,

"but that's bribery," Mike said, "and..."  
"it's against the law," Jemima finished, "but we've gotten 200 quid in vouchers, that's enough for us."

"Means you can buy your friends decent presents," Johnny commented,

"yeah," Jemima said nodding, "I'll buy everyone their own packet of plastic cups."

**Thank you for reading this, this chapter has been extremely long**

**This chapter took me approximately 5 hours to write, so I would appreciate it if you review**

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	32. Jem's Time To Shine

**Chapter 32**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**14th February 2009**

The 9 year old girl pulled herself out of bed, she needed to check on her science experiment and she was also thirsty so consequently couldn't sleep.

The flat was cold, because it was February and she wanted to keep the heating bills at the minimum.

That was why she was wearing 3 jumpers in bed, leggings under her pyjama bottoms, 2 pairs of socks. All while she was huddled under her duvet and fluffy blanket.

In her defence only yesterday the largest snowfall in 18 years had occurred, well... ended.

But the large snowfall had led to school closures, so she had been forced to stay at home for days. She hadn't been able to get her drug orders to all her clients, and she was running out of storage space for them.

She padded down the hall to the kitchen, opened the door and screamed.

Splayed on the floor was her Mother, next to her was a pile of glass; her science experiment.

Avoiding the broken glass she ran to her Mother's side. She wasn't breathing.

The girl jumped up and sprinted to the phone, and dialled 999.  
"I need an ambulance," she shouted, "it's my Mother, she is unconscious and not breathing. She's drunken a mixture including bleach."

"Ok," the woman at the other end said, "give us your address." The young girl quickly reeled off her address, "ok, we're sending a team over. Do you know how to do CPR?" she asked,

"yes," the young girl replied,

"but leave out the mouth-to-mouth, just open the airway and to chest compressions, and put the phone on speaker, so we can talk to you."

The young girl started the chest compressions,

"how long ago do you reckon the bleach was ingested?" the woman asked,

"sometime in the last 3 hours," the girl replied immediately, suddenly there was a crack. "I think I've broken a rib,"

"carry on," the nurse commanded. "How much bleach?"  
"70 millilitres of bleach, and 30 of water," the kid replied, "she swallowed it."  
"Was it deliberate?"

"Possibly," the girl cried, "she has an illness, a few of them."

"What illness?"  
"The most prominent is schizophrenia, but she has other ones as well, and she has been taking her medication, but she does sometimes refuse to swallow and I believe she does deliberately make herself sick," the girl said.

"How old are you?" the Nurse asked,

"she's... wait me... I'm 9," the girl replied.

"Is there anyone else with you? An adult?"

"No, I don't have a Dad," the girl told her.

"Can you give us some personal information about the victim?" the Nurse questioned,

"Delwyn Anderson, Delwyn spelt D-E-L-W-Y-N. She's 37, date of birth 2nd July 1971. Height 5'6, weight 120 pounds as of last Sunday. Is that enough information?" the girl asked, still doing the chest compressions. "Her Doctor is Dr Green," she added.

"That's perfect, what's your name?"  
"I'm Jemima," the Welsh girl said.

"Jemima, that's perfect. An ambulance will be with you in the next two minutes," the Nurse said.

"Tell the crew, we're on the 3rd floor," Jemima said,

"ok, will do."  
"Should I unlock the door?" the Welsh girl asked.

"I'll tell you when their outside, then go and unlock the door and show them to the patient."

"Ok."

"Jemima they're outside." 

The 9 year old girl sprung up, and sprinted to the front door of her flat.

"In here," she yelled at the paramedics, and she led them into the kitchen.

"Stand back," they shouted at her, and the Welsh girl waited in the hallway.

Then she heard footsteps, she looked up, just in time to see the Police enter her flat.

"Hello," she said,

"are you Jemima Anderson?" he asked, she nodded, standing up and offered him her hand to shake. He looked stunned for a moment before shaking it.

"Look through the cupboards for the bleach," Jemima heard one paramedic said,

"don't," Jemima yelled, but it was too late.

"Oh my god," the paramedic said, the policeman entered the room, to see what they had found.

"That looks like 100 grams of pure cannabis there," the policeman said, "get the patient out, we need to do an entire search of this place."

Jemima just sat in the hall, hating herself.

"We have found an excessive amount of Class A and B drugs in the flat, we'll have to investigate," the Police Inspector said over his walkie-talkie, his colleague walked over to the 9 year old girl.

"Do you know anything about the drugs?" he asked her, she nodded, she looked up at him and putting her hands in the air.

"I know supplying Class A drugs has a sentence of lifetime in prison, so you might as well arrest me now."

"Excuse me?" the police officer asked, confused.  
"Mum can't work, so I carry them so we can pay the bills," the 9 year old girl responded.

The Police Officer looked horrified, "can I see my Mum?" the girl asked,

"not right now," he told her, "we need to go down to the police station first."

Xxx

**15th February 2009**

"Jemima," a woman's voice said, the 9 year old girl looked up from her seat in the waiting room.

"She's dead," Jemima stated, the woman nodded, "so I'm guessing your my social worker."

"I'm Anne," she said, "and I'll be taking you to your emergency foster placement. You'll be staying with Mr and Mrs Williams, they have two sons. They're both a bit older than you, but are apparently lovely."

Xxx

**3rd April 2009**

"We are going to find you Jay-Jay," the boy growled, freaking out the Welsh girl. She knew her foster brothers didn't mean any harm, but she needed time to mourn. Not people trying to constantly play with her, to make her happy.

If you had turned to clock back a year or so she couldn't have been happier, a Mum AND a Dad, plus two big brothers who were always happy to play with her.

However, it had been 2 months since her Mum had died. She had lost her only family and been stuffed in with one that wanted a girl who smile, and laugh. They tried to make her take up ballet and horse riding lessons again, but the childish passion had gone.

Instead her paranoia grew, her sensitivity to mess and disorder grew. She found herself obsessively cleaning the kitchen, scrubbing and scrubbing, trying to wash away the non-existent stains. Then she would arrange everything in a specific way.

The fridge was ordered by food group, then inside the food group everything was assembled into alphabetical order.

What she would eat became obsessive, she created a timetable for food. For Monday tea she would have to have cottage pie, and it had to be cottage pie not shepherds pie, or fish pie. Cottage pie.

With the cottage pie she had to have beans - green beans - not baked beans, and broccoli.

She had to have the cottage pie on the back of the plate, on the left hand side. On the right at the back there had to be the beans, laid out in straight lines; longest to shortest, but not touching the cottage pie. Then at the front, on the right hand side she would have the broccoli. The stalks of the broccoli had to point to the left, and be parallel with the beans.

At bedtime she had to line her beanie babies up in the colour of the spectrum, and place the multicolour bear on the other side of the room, exactly at a 90 degree angle from the centre bear.

Everything in her life had to be ordered and scheduled, otherwise she would break down. Start to cry and scream. Then her foster family would get upset, and everything would get a lot worse. So Jemima kept everything organized.

But then came the nightmares, the nightmares that showed her what happened before she woke up:

_Her Mum would stagger into the kitchen, almost like she was intoxicated, then she would go to get a glass from the cupboard but then she would see the glass beaker on the side._

_The beaker containing the bleach, then she would pick up the glass beaker and down it, and as soon as the liquid started to burn the beaker would drop._

_And smash._

_Again._

_And Again._

_And Again._

Her nights would end up being a repetitive cycle drilling into her mind; the glass smashing.

The more she heard the glass smash, the more it scared her.

If breaking a mirror was 7 years bad luck, how many years bad luck did you get from breaking a glass?

Enough to scare the 9 year old girl into refusing to use glasses made from glass, and her foster Mum having to buy her plastic cups.

"It's a message, teaching them to become better people," her foster-brother Max told her, "they are stuck in a continuous circle until they learn, till they stop making the same mistakes."

These words haunted Jemima; it had been her science experiment that had killed her Mum, so it was her fault, so she needed to become a better person so she could save her Mother.

The more she thought about, the more sense it made.

But first she needed to get back to her old flat.

_Jemima waited until 2:48AM, then she pulled on her dressing gown and slippers, flicked on her torch and quietly tip-toed downstairs._

_She made sure to avoid the places that would set the burglar alarm off, she crept into her foster Dad's study._

_She grabbed his laptop, and crawled under his desk. _

_She logged onto to the website, and created an account using his bank and card details. _

_Then she put up the house details, and put up the amount of money she was looking for._

Xxx

As the months passed, she fitted more and more in. She went on her first holiday with them to France, Ben taught her to play chess while Max would help her build assault courses for the hand-me-down action men she had been given.

Her nights were tortured by her Mother's death, and she still checked the website for offers on the house but her life during the day focused on family barbecues, film nights, as well as being taken to real life football and rugby matches.

She grew and was given the chance to live her childhood.

Even if it was only for one summer.

Xxx

**3rd October 2009**

She logged onto the website.

Her heart skipped a beat, an offer, on the house.

Offering the £250,000 she had asked for. Immediately she accepted.

Then she used the deposit money, the buyer had sent over to pay the deposit on her old flat.

Everything was going to plan.

Xxx

**6th October 2009 **

"What do you mean? No, absolutely not," Mr Williams yelled, Jemima looked up from her Monday morning cornflakes.

"Simon, what is it?" Jemima's foster mum asked.

"Well Emma, apparently we have sold our house," he said,

"Dad, that's ridiculous," Max commented,

"that's what I've been telling the bank for the last two hours," he replied, "they're launching an investigation, they believe we have been hacked. But it's nothing for you 3 to be worried about."

"Come on, Max, Ben, Jem go brush your teeth, or you're going to be late," Mrs Williams said, smiling at her children.

Xxx

Jemima was in what the school claimed was science, it was in fact geology. Which did interest Jemima, but the dumbed down year 5 version was unbelievably boring.

So she was instead focusing her time on listing the elements of the periodic table; she had gotten up to Bromine, she highlighted it in pink to show it was in Group 7, also known as the Halogens.

"Miss Jameson," the receptionist said, poking her head into the classroom, "I have been told to collect Jemima Anderson, and she has to bring all her stuff."

The tiny brunette closed her book, placed her pens back into her pencil case and then put both items into her rucksack.

The receptionist led the girl to reception, where here foster-mum was waiting, eyes red.

"Come on Jemima," she said, standing up, not looking at the younger girl.

Jemima followed her out to the car, noting that Mrs Williams had called her "Jemima" opposed to "Jem" or "Jay-Jay".

The Welsh girl went to sit in the passenger seat, "please sit in the back," her foster-mum said, voice cracking.

Mrs Williams said nothing for the entire journey home, Jemima asked her question after question, but she didn't reply and her knuckles got whiter and whiter, as they clenched onto the steering wheel.

Xxx

"Anne!" Jemima exclaimed, surprised to see her social worker.

"Hello Jemima," Anne said, pushing her glasses up her nose, "please take a seat."

The girl obeyed, and looked up at her foster-dad who looked pale and upset.

"Jemima," Anne said, looking the girl in the eye, "did you place this house up for sale?"

Jemima looked at her foster parents, both looking devastated. "Yes," she said,

"why Jemima? Why?" Mr Williams asked,

"if I can stop the cycle, if I can save Mum, the nightmares will stop," she said, "but we need to go back to my old flat."

Mrs Williams, shook her head, "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Ok," Anne replied, "come on Jemima, let's go upstairs."

"Which room is yours?" she asked,

"the one with the placard that says Jemima," the 9 year old girl said, pointing out the obvious.

"Of course," Anne replied, "how silly of me."

She walked into Jemima's room, "where's your bag?" she asked,

"the one which I brought from Mum's?" Jem questioned,  
"yes," Jemima knelt down and pulled out the suitcase from under the bed.

Anne picked up the case, placed it on the bed and opened it.

"What are you doing?" Jemima asked,

"can you bring me your clothes from your wardrobe?" Anne said.

Jemima nodded, and started removing the clothes from her wardrobe.

Anne folded her clothes neatly and put them into the suitcase, after 20 minutes Mrs Williams came up and started to help pack Jemima's things.

"Where am I going?" Jemima asked,

"you're going to stay in a house with lots of other children," Anne replied smiling,

"when can I come home?"

"Jemima Anderson, you can't go back to your flat, without a guardian," Anne told her, a bit irritated.

"I mean here," Jemima replied, "here is my home."

Mrs Williams just broke down.

Anne knelt down, "Jemima, Mr and Mrs Williams have decided that it's for your best that you go into the children's home."  
"Bbbbbbut I llllove it here," Jem stuttered, starting to cry.

An hour later Jemima watched the place she called home fade from her view, as she was driven to her first children's home.

Xxx

She was welcomed to her first children's home with a sleepless night, thanks to the cacophonous noise; the shouting, the scream, the crying, the blaring music.

Her first Christmas in care rolled around, she loved the dressing of the Christmas tree, she loved that she was put in charge of the day's timetables, she loved that she was put in charge of the Christmas dinner.

There was so much she could organise, and if she could organise everything, nothing could go wrong.

To her joy she was able to make the noisy crazy care kids follow her plans, and while she missed what would have been her first Williams Christmas, she got her first proper Christmas in years.

Back before her Mum got really ill, she was an amazing cook and Christmas was her favourite day of the year, she would make a banquet that would last the 2 of them weeks.

The food in care wasn't as good, but the family atmosphere of it and Jemima find that she didn't mind the (organised) craziness. In fact she even joined in!

She squealed with joy at every present she opened; BOOKS! They all got her books.

Her perfect present.

Her obsessive appetite for knowledge began many years previously, but it had grown even more alongside her need for order and planning.

So books were perfect for her, and who knows, one day being able to tell the differentiate between different species of snail might be helpful.

Xxx

Her 10th birthday came around.

Then she moved up into year 6.

Then she was 11.

Then she finished year 6, and it was decided that it was time to give fostering another go.

Xxx

Melanie Samson was a fairly average woman, well apart from the fact she was a very highly-regarded lawyer, she was a very career driven woman and consequently her dreams of children took a back seat, only till it was too late.

So she turned to fostering, and found herself placed with Jemima Anderson, to be honest you couldn't have found a better pairing.

Both academics, both strong willed and both with questionable morals; it was a match made in heaven.

Melanie immediately took Jemima off the list for the local comprehensive, and instead enrolled her in a school that required a very tough entrance exam (which Jemima breezed through) and an excessive amount of money.

For the first time in Jemima's life her academic potential was noticed, and accepted (even if it meant having to take part in test at psychology department of the local university).

Alongside her schooling, Melanie started teaching the basics of law to the girl, wanting the girl to follow in her footsteps, as well winning a Nobel prize for Chemistry, Maths, Physics and French.

If you could win a Nobel prize for French anyway.

Knowing Jemima she would probably be the first person to.

Xxx

Melanie was so different to Emma Williams, Emma Williams just screamed maternal, but Melanie – while caring – was less touchy-feely, was more involved in teaching Jemima about life and preparing for the future, and every possibility she could face, including plane crashes, getting trapped in a lift, suing and how to get away with fraud.

Melanie didn't treat Jem like a child, instead she taught her to be an adult. Ignoring the fact that Jemima was 11 when she entered her care.

Xxx

It was a few days into year 9 for Jemima when everything went wrong, Melanie's father was deemed – by the government – unsuitable to look after himself, so Melanie had tried to organise care for him. But he argued with all the care workers, so within a month he had gone through everyone in the area.

They all refused to spend another day with him, even for a 100% pay rise increase.

So Melanie started looking into care homes, but word about his difficult manner had gotten around so he was refused.

"_I'm sorry Jem, but I'll have to move halfway across the country, and there are no suitable schools in the area, and you certainly can't 3 hours each way, on a train to school. It'll be better for you and your education if you go into a home," Melanie said._

"_I'll still be able to go to my school if I go into care," Jemima said hopefully._

"_Unfortunately not," she replied, "but if you're not in my direct care I can't fund your education, and there is no way you'll be able to get a grant from the local council."_

"_So I'll end up at some shitty school for ASBOs," Jemima snapped,_

"_Jem," Melanie said warningly, "Jem, look at me."  
_

_The welsh girl turned to face the older woman, "I'm a lawyer," she told the girl, "I will find a loophole, then I'll get you back into your school, promise. Just because I'll be on the other side England, doesn't mean I don't care about you. I'll come and see you in the Christmas holidays."  
"Promise?" Jemima asked,_

"_promise."_

Xxx

It was now Sunday the 8th of December 2013, Jemima had been away from Melanie for 3 weeks.

She was sorting through her notes, suddenly her phone vibrated.

_Text from Melanie:_

_I have managed to shove Dad off on an OAP coach trip on next Saturday._

_Ask your care worker if you're free._

_I'll talk to your social worker_

_Melanie xxx_

Suddenly Jemima Anderson's day got a lot better.

**So mystery girl was Jemima, well done if you got it right.**

**Hopefully her back story lived up to expectation.**

**Please review xxx **


	33. 1 Truth, 2 Lies, Oh Wait 3 Lies

**Chapter 33**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

"That's cool, you're lucky you have a foster Mum who cared that much about you," Ari said,

"I'm so glad Mike is letting me go," Jemima replied, as they entered the kitchen, which was crazily busy, which was expected since it was a Monday morning.

"Gina," Kitty said, "I've got to get into school early, can I walk?"

"I think so, ask Mike," Gina replied, while trying to persuade Mo that cornflakes with sugar was the same as Frosties.

"Mike," Kitty called, "can I walk to school?"  
"Ok," he replied, and then immediately went back to talking on the phone.

Kitty grabbed her school bag, and headed out of the door.

As she walked, her mind ran through her plan, well... she had a vague plan but she didn't know the exact details.

She kept walking, and turned down a street to find some year 10 girls, sitting there smoking and chatting.

She looked down and hurried past them, "oi!" one girl yelled, "you one of those care kids?" she asked,

"yes," Kitty replied,

"you know that Erin slut?" one girl asked, her skirt rolled so high that it was practically invisible.

"Erin lives at my home," Kitty said, then she realised how she would carry out her plan, "along with that attention-seeking eating-disorder cutter."

All the girls were silent for a moment, looking between each other.

"Who?" one asked,

"oh, I really couldn't say," Kitty said,

"we'll give ya 5 quid, if ya tell us," an girl who looked like she ought to be on TOWIE said.

"Ok," Kitty said, holding out her hand, they stuffed the crumpled note into her palm. "Arietta Rosenberg."

Kitty paused for a second, thinking of what would cause drama, "and she's a lezza."

Xxx

"Why does everyone keep looking at me?" Arietta asked on the way onto school, "is my skirt too short?"

Sam examined Ari's skirt, "no, it's fine," she reassured her friend.

"I can't believe we have PE first," Arietta moaned, "and you don't understand my pain because you love playing with balls."

Sam laughed, "I like playing with balls as much as the next lesbian," she whispered in Ari's ear.

"I'll stick to... I was gonna say bisexuals, but they like balls a lot more. Um... I'll become a nun."

Sam simply laughed, "see you at break Ari."

"Aren't you doing PE?" Ari asked, Sam shook her head.

"I've got my Oral exam," she explained,

"don't have too much fun," Arietta replied.

Xxx

Arietta entered the PE changing room, she quickly hurried to her usual corner and pulled off her top but before she had time to put on her PE top someone snatched it out of her hand.

She spun round, "give me back my top," she snapped, a girl from her form called Malia was holding it. "Malia please can I have my top back."

"Give me one good reason you eat disorder freak," Malia replied, a couple of girls round her sniggered, Malia chucked it to another girl.

Arietta turned round, the girls caught sight of her back, "get your girlfriend to cut your back for you lezza?"

Ari picked up her school blouse, but another girl grabbed it.

"I don't have a girlfriend," Arietta replied,

"well that's understandable isn't it lezza, no one would want to fuck a stick like you," another girl sneered.

"The dykes might actually want her, cos they're all pretty ugly, she might be like a super model in their fucked up world," a different girl commented.

"She's probably only a lezza cos no boy wants her."

Ari snatched her blouse off the girl, pulled it on and fled the changing rooms.

Xxx

Kitty didn't even care that she was stuck in a group with Johnny and Jemima, the rumours about Arietta were flying round school, her plan had worked. She couldn't think of anything more horrible for Ari than be victimised by the entire school.

And a quick glance out of the window made Kitty's day even better; Ari was sprinting away from the changing rooms.

Things were evidently getting too bad for Arietta to handle, Kitty grinned, things were only going to get worse for her.

Xxx

"Erin, can you be the adjudicator?" Miss Island asked, Erin looked confused, "an umpire,"  
"um... sure," Erin replied. Miss Island was staring at her register,

"Erin, have you seen Arietta?" she asked,

"she was in form," Erin replied.

"Oh ok," Miss Island said, frowning, then walking away.

Erin just stood awkwardly on the side, as members of her class flooded into the gym.

"But Arietta's like well pretty," one girl said,

"it's really weird," another girl replied.

"What is?" Erin asked intrigued.

"Ari is a lezza," a different girl said.

"Fuck," Erin swore, "really?"

By this point everyone in their class was listening to the conversation.

"You live with her," someone pointed out,

"that's weird," Erin commented, "not that I have anything against gay people, it's just a bit weird with lesbians because they might like you."

"I saw Arietta looking at me last Thursday," one girl said, starting to freak out.

"Does she have a girlfriend?" a blonde asked Erin.

Erin considered for a moment, "there is no one else in the dumping ground that is you know... a lesbian, and outside of the dumping ground the only person she spends time with is Sam."

"What... Sam Carter?"

"Yeah, they used to share a room, and they're best friends. They had a sleepover the weekend before last..." Erin trailed off.

"And they are always together,"

"I bet Sam is a lesbian, I always thought she was a bit weird," one girl commented.

"And she looks like a lesbian,"

"she has short hair."

"CLASS!" Miss Island yelled, "this looks like a mothers' meeting. Start running!"

Xxx

Arietta didn't have a problem with her sexuality, she was happy with being a lesbian and really wouldn't have been too bothered if all the guys in the world got abducted by aliens.

Apart from Robbie.

And Johnny at a push, long as he promised not to kiss Sam again, and maybe Tyler, if he didn't make any more lesbians kiss guys.

Ari did have a problem when it came to her body; she hated how her skin contorted over her shoulder blades, and how she could count her ribs. She hated how utterly flat chested she was, and envied her 12 year old self, who had had at least something to put in bra. Unlike now when she would be fine wearing a vest.

She didn't mind her scars, they were a reminder that she had survived.

But she hated it when people stared, and even more so when they accused her of self harm.

She had already been through enough, she would never even consider putting herself through more pain.

She hated that she wouldn't put on weight, even if she ate herself full at every meal she would be lucky to put on a pound in a month. But if she tried eating more than the "bird meal" that made her full, she would be sick and that would eradicate even the chance of putting on more weight.

She hated that she was afraid of going down to breakfast without a full face of make up; she didn't want anyone to see the dark circles under her eyes, she hated how prone her skin was to spots, she disliked the twisted scar running down her left cheek.

She hated looking at her reflection in the mirror without wearing make up, she hated seeing the girl that stared back.

She looked so...

Tortured? Ghostly? Tired? Old?

She didn't look 14, and when she saw her face she felt older... but in a tired way... in a way that had had enough, had enough of life, had enough of the pain in it.

So she put on the makeup, so for the day she was able to trick herself into believing that she was ordinary, that she was 14. So she could let herself live.

Because it wasn't the face that had seen death.

Xxx

Faith was writing out notes from the biology textbook, the girl next to her, who had no respect for the subject (god knows why she had taken A-Level) was texting.  
"Drama in the younger years," she told Faith, Faith tried her best not to roll her eyes; she had never had much time (or patience) for bitchy gossip.

"In year 10 there's this girl who just came out as a lesbian,"

"good for her," Faith replied, looking at the board.

"Apparently she's got like an eating-disorder, and self harms," the girl told Faith, "yeah, I reckon she's of your bunch... you know a care kid."

Faith spun round to stare at the girl, "who?" she asked,

"um..." the girl checked her phone, "Arietta?"

The bell to signify the end of lesson one rang, "class dismissed," Mr May, their biology teacher called.

Faith was in her wheelchair, and out the door.

She had a free next, and she wanted to see the girl she had gotten stuck in a lift with.

Just to make sure she was ok.

Xxx

"What happened?" Rick asked, his girlfriend looked like she was about to explode.

"Well..." Erin said, "it turns out Arietta is a lesbian."

"Really?" Rick asked, "bet Johnny loves that."

Erin nodded, remembering what he was like when Gus was fostered by the lesbian couple.

"Well long as she knows that the most beautiful girl in the world is off limits," Rick said,

"who's that?" Erin asked, smiling.

"You," Rick replied, before kissing her.

Xxx

Faith was no Jemima Anderson; she wasn't able to accurately predict where Ari would be, from one piece of information.

So she was spending her free period going from hidden corner to hidden corner, from toilet to toilet.

Admittedly there was a chance that Arietta was in class, but Faith could hardly imagine sitting in a classroom as people whispered about her.

"Ari," Faith called, as she entered her 6th lot of toilets,

"yeah," Ari replied.

The 14 year old girl was sat on the windowsill about two metres above the ground.

"If I smoked," Arietta said, "I would definitely be smoking now."

"Are you ok?" Faith asked,

"Well I'm not drunk yet so... yes," Arietta replied,

"you have alcohol?"

"Nope, I haven't reached that stage yet. Fortunately." She sighed, "so what have you heard?"

"You're a lesbian?" Faith said,

"yes, that bit is true," Ari replied, "wonder how they found that out? It's not like I've been kissing girls in public, and I can't imagine Sam or Robbie telling them. Or Jemima."

"Also you apparently self harm and having eating disorders," Faith told her.

"Rubbish, all the scars were from before..." she trailed, Faith nodded understandingly. "And I'm underweight, but not because of eating disorders. I just hate people getting all up in my face about it."

"Understandably," Faith replied, "so what are you going to do about it?"

Arietta paused, "show those bitches that I don't care."

"And you'll show them that by hiding away in a bathroom?" Faith asked,

"fair point," Ari said, jumping off the ledge and going straight to the mirror.

"What are you doing?" Faith asked,

"showing them I don't care," the younger girl replied, by pulling out her make up bag.

"By wearing an excessive amount of make up?"

"No... well... yeah, just reapplying it and going for red lipstick, instead of my normal pink."

Faith sat by the door, watching the younger girl redo all her make up, and her hair.

"How do I look?" Ari asked, turning to Faith.

"Good," Faith replied,

"only good? I look hot," Arietta replied. She paused, looking long and hard at Faith. "Haven't you got class?"

"I've got a free,"

"and you spent it looking for me?"

Faith nodded.

"Thank you," Ari said, hugging the older girl.

"Just remember to be strong," Faith said. Ari nodded smiling,

"will do."

Xxx

Deep breath.

Arietta pushed the door open and strutted into her RE lesson.

"Miss Rosenberg, would you care to explain why you are 40 minutes late?" Mrs Harold asked,

"I was... busy," Ari replied,

"Miss Rosenberg, class is compulsory,"

"I know, hence why are turned up."

"Sit down," Mrs Harold commanded, Arietta smiled sweetly and took her place next to Robbie.

"What happened?" he hissed,

"I'm guessing you know what happened," Ari replied,

"well the entire school thinks you're a lesbian self-harmer with anorexia," Robbie explained.

"I have absolutely no idea how it happened, I was just in PE and suddenly all the "cool girls" were in my face, calling me a lesbian."

"Miss Rosenberg you have turned up to my class late, shut up and do the work."

Xxx

Sam was sat in the canteen, waiting for Ari and Robbie when she was approached by the "cool girls" clique.

"Waiting for ya girlfriend?" one girl sneered,

"I don't have a girlfriend," Sam replied,

"what about Arilezza Rosenberg?"

"Her name is Arietta, not whatever you called her... and no... she's my best friend," Sam explained,

"lesbians don't have friends," one girl said, "only lovers."

"Right..." Sam said, feeling exceptionally odd, the canteen was starting to fill up and people were staring at them.

Then in strutted Arietta, like she fucking owned the place, looking hotter than usual.

"Oh look it's Arilezza!" one girl declared,

"wow, Arilezza, what a wonderful name!" Ari said sarcastically, "I ought to change my name."

She looked round at everyone, they were all watching.

Ari sighed, "fuck it," she muttered to Sam, she pulled herself onto the table. "My name is Arietta Rosenberg, I'm in year 10 and there have been 3 rumours going around about me. 1 is true, 2 are false."

The crowd below her exploded, it wasn't often that people publicly explained the rumours about them.

"I am not a self-harmer," she said, "and people will say "but I saw the scars on her back, she's lying," and my response to that is... I'm a care kid. People did that to me, now I'm in care, I didn't do that to myself."

"Apparently I have an eating-disorder, but this is a lie. I ate 3 meals a day, I eat as much food as I sensibly can, and I don't diet. So the truth is I AM A LESBIAN! And if you don't like it, or think it's unnatural then screw you. Because I'm happy and proud of my sexuality, and don't even think about attempting to change me. It's been done and it didn't work. Have a good day," Arietta said, then she jumped off the table.

"Sam, are you gay?" one girl asked, everyone stopped, staring.

Ari grinned at her best friend.

"Nah," Sam said, grinning, "I'm straight."

Ari stopped grinning.

**Sorry for the long wait for an update, school has been hellish **

**How you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Please review xxx**


	34. What We Deserve

**Chapter 34 **

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

Arietta stared at the ceiling, a knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts.

"What?!" Ari yelled, uncharacteristically rude. Sam poked her head round the door,

"are you ok?" the blonde asked,

"what do you fucking think?!" the Chinese girl replied, not looking at her so called best friend.

Sam closed the door behind her, "what did you want me to do?" she demanded.

"I don't know?" Ari asked sarcastically, "wait, I do know. Come out."

"You can't force me to come out," Sam snapped, "there is plenty of stuff I don't force you to do."  
"Like what?"

"I don't force you into a relationship," Sam said,

"yeah, you just kiss me while I'm unconscious and hospitalized," Ari replied, "which had the potential to be far more harmful that a relationship."

"You're not ready for a relationship,"

"how do you know I'm not ready for a relationship?" the Chinese girl snapped, turning to glare at Sam.

"Well I'm not ready to come out," Sam told her, "and I'm sorry if that messes things up for you. I'm sorry if you wanted to bring me down to the bottom of the social ladder alongside you. But I would rather be happy, than a loser."

"You think I'm a loser!" Ari exclaimed, standing up, "well, I'd rather be out than pretending to be a champion like everyone else."

"You don't know what it's like for me!" Sam declared.

"Yeah, I don't," Ari replied, "back in the good old days when my husband paid people to torture me, in a vain attempt so I would like him. Yeah, I just haven't gone through your pain Sam, the possibility of being ostracised by a few losers, is so hard for you," the Chinese girl said sarcastically.

"This is not about you," Sam shouted, "not everything revolves are you. Oh, wow your pain was bad, but if I come out I will suffer."

"Yeah you might start only getting As at school, you'll lose your A* and your gold star, because you'll go so fucking far pretending to be straight..."

"I care about SO MUCH MORE than A fucking stars. And I would never sleep with a guy, so don't make judgements about me Arilezza Rosenberg."

"Wow, name calling, sign of the mature," Ari replied, "and by the way, yes you would go that far. Cos this is the first time you've been accepted in your life, and you are so desperate for everyone to like you that you would go that far. You would sleep with a guy, just to prove them wrong."

"At least I'm not a whore," Sam spat, Ari stared at her so called best friend, for a moment.

"At least I'm not a desperate wannabe, who is just a complete coward," Ari replied.

Sam almost snarled at the older girl, she spun round and stalked to the door.

Hand on door knob, she turned to face Ari again.

"She's lucky," Sam said,

"who is?" Ari asked,

"Mia," the blonde replied, "lucky she died before she had the chance to be raised by a lesbo bitch like you."

Xxx

Faith entered the kitchen, suddenly there was a loud burst of noise.

People cheering at her, or rather her crutches.

"What's this?" Faith asked,

"a,_ Yay you're getting better present_," Mo explained,

"you have to wear the hat," Jody said, pointing at the party hat on the table, "like us."

"Jeff's wearing a hat," Harry pointed out, waving his giraffe in the air.

Faith grinned, and put the hat on for the others.

"Now can we eat the food?!" Jody demanded, Mike sighed,

"yes," he replied,

"YAY!" she yelled, and everyone charged towards the food that had been set out.

Faith stood where she was, she heard heavy footsteps on the stairs, Sam was stumped towards the door.

Faith hopped out into the hallway.

"Not staying for the party?" Faith asked, Sam turned round,

"nah," Sam replied, "don't live here any more."

"You've been crying," Faith told her,

"no shit Sherlock," Sam said, rubbing her eyes, "Ari and I had a fight."

"Is it about you being a lesbian?" the older girl asked,

"what's everyone's problem?!" the blonde demanded, "I'm straight."

"Ok," Faith replied, "sorry. So does that mean Ari's love for you is unrequited?"

"What are you talking about?" Jemima asked, entering the hallway, she paused for a second. "Oh... Sam, why did you deny being a lesbian? You evidently like Ari."

"And she evidently likes you," Faith added.

"Well I doubt she likes me any more," Sam pointed out,

"did you have a domestic?" Jemima asked,

"we're not a couple," Sam reminded her.

"You still here?" Arietta snapped, as she walked downstairs. "I'm surprised you stayed so long in a house with a lesbo bitch."

"I'll go," Sam said,

"yes, go. That sounds a great idea, don't want you to be turned by my gayness," Arietta replied,

"bye," Sam replied walking to the door.

"goodbye straight girl," Ari shouted after her, then closing the front door.

Jemima opened her mouth, "don't ask?," Ari told the Welsh girl.

"You need a party hat!" Mo exclaimed, running out into the hall, "come with me."

He grabbed Ari's hand and pulled her away.

"You shouldn't miss your party," Jemima said, Faith nodded in agreement.

Xxx

Erin, Rick, Tee, Johnny, Tyler, Kitty and Frank sat in the lounge.

"What happened to this group?" Erin asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Arilezza Rosenberg arrived," Kitty replied, Erin shook her head.

"At the start only Sam was with Ari," Tee reminded the older girl.

"It was probably that welsh weirdo then," Kitty snapped.

"It was when Tee, Rick and Erin came back," Tyler said.

"Well I believe it was when Johnny and Kitty broke up," Tee said,

"yeah, cos he was being an idiot," Kitty replied.

"I'm just glad you broke up," Tee told the older girl.

"Excuse me?" Kitty asked in surprise, "we were a great couple."

"You were an abusive girlfriend," Tee snapped.

"Tee," Johnny said quietly,

"Johnny, she nearly drove you to suicide, that's not a healthy relationship," Tee replied.

"You're the one who ran away and nearly killed him with guilt," Kitty shouted,

"you were his girlfriend, he was vulnerable and all you did was nearly push him over the edge with your aggressive attacks directed at him." Tee shouted back.

Xxx

"Duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck, duck," Mo kept saying, walking around the circle, over and over again.

"Do you think he understands the concept of duck duck goose?" Jemima asked Faith, Faith shook her head.

"GOOSE!" he yelled, tapping Jemima's head, catching her on unawares.

Jemima jumped up and sprinted after him but accidentally crashed into Tracy who dropped the glass of lemonade she was holding.

The glass hit the floor.

_The glass hit the floor, the glass splintering in a thousands directions._

_Delwyn Anderson started to choke violently, the bleach burning her throat._

_She collapsed to the floor, the fire inside of her burning everything._

"Jemima, are you ok?" Faith asked, Jemima snapped back to reality.

_She was here to help. Not to be helped. She had killed her Mother; she didn't deserve help._

"I'm fine," Jemima lied,

"you're crying," Harry pointed out,

"it's just lemonade," the Welsh girl replied, before walking away.

Arietta's gaze followed the younger girl out of the room, before turning back to Faith.

The two girls exchanged a look, knowing they were thinking exactly the same thing:

_Jemima Anderson was human._

_And hurting._

Xxx

"You shouldn't have said that," Johnny told his younger sister, they were out in the hallway, using the excuse of getting more food, to talk."

"Johnny, why are you allowed to protect me, yet you hate it when I try to defend you?"

"I'm the your older brother, it's my job to protect you," he told her, Tee shook her head.

"If you won't let me protect you, I won't let you protect me," Tee replied.

"But if I can't protect you I have failed as a brother,"

Tee simply sighed, "Johnny, if I can't protect you I have failed as a sister."

Xxx

"Jem," Faith said, from the doorway. The welsh girl was sitting at her desk, back to the door.

"Jemima," Ari repeated, the two older girls exchanged a look. They sighed and walked in her room, closing the door behind them.

"Don't give me sympathy," Jemima finally said, voice wavering, "I don't deserve it."

"Yes, you do," Faith replied,

"it's my fault," Jemima cried, "it's my fault she's dead."

The two girls exchanged a look, they knew nothing of Jemima's past.

"I was meant to look after her, instead I killed her, all because of THAT STUPID SCIENCE EXPERIMENT!" her voice raised to a shout, she thumped her fists against her desk, still crying.

"Who?" Ari asked, Faith glared at the younger girl, obviously believing it would be best to let Jemima cry herself out of it.

"My Mother," Jemima told them,

"then it wasn't your responsibility to look after her," Faith said, "it should have been the other way round."

Jemima just sobbed harder.

Arietta just reacted naturally; she had never been able to hold her daughter close when she was crying, and here was a crying girl unable to be held by her mother.

Ari wrapped her arms around Jemima, hugging her, "ssh," she whispered, cradling the younger girl. "It's ok, ssh..."

Jemima's crying started to slow down, "it's ok," Ari whispered,

"I don't deserve sympathy," Jemima mumbled,

"this isn't about what we do or not deserve. I didn't deserve to be a mother," Arietta told them.

"Ari," Faith said,

"well... Mia definitely didn't deserve me, she deserved so much better than me,"

"I think you two need to stop blaming yourselves," Faith told the younger girls.

"I think we need to make the most of the take away pizza," Jemima said, signalling the end of their conversation.

"But I'm sooooooo full," Ari moaned,

"well I'm not," Jem replied, "come on, let's go downstairs." She grabbed Ari's hand, and Faith's arm and dragged them out of her bedroom.

Xxx

The three girls returned back to the kitchen, ignoring the looks from the others.

"I have absolutely no idea how you can get up stairs on crutches," Ari told Faith.

"I'm an athlete," Faith replied,

"I hate how the second you show any emotion people start judging you," Jemima said, sitting down next to her friends, carrying what appeared to be half a pizza.

"How much junk food do you need?" Faith asked,

"at least 3 entire pizzas," Jem replied.

Arietta laughed, before going up to get a (plastic) cup of lemonade. As she was pouring she realised Johnny and Tee had joined her in the food area.

Johnny was watching her cautiously, Ari looked to Tee who didn't seem bothered by her proximity to the older girl, Ari looked up; Johnny was glaring at her.

Arietta said nothing, and just kept eye contact with Johnny. Challenging him to say something.

Johnny said nothing, just grabbed Tee's arm and pulled her out of the kitchen.

Xxx

The two siblings returned back to the lounge, with arms full of food.

"I don't like it," Johnny told his sister,

"stop being paranoid," Tee responded.

"What is it?" Erin asked,

"Arilezza was looking at Tee," Johnny said.

"She does know that Tee isn't..." Tyler trailed off,

"of course she does," Tee told everyone, "and I don't see the problem if she was looking at me. I mean Rick's looking at me, and Tyler, and Frank, and you're not making a fuss about that so why should you make a fuss about Arietta."

"It's different," Johnny argued, "it's unnatural."

"Not being homophobic," Kitty started, "but I agree, it is weird that girls could like other girls like... that."

"Saying that your not being homophobic, doesn't stop what your saying from being homophobic," Tee pointed out.

"Long as she knows Erin is off limits, I don't care," Rick told them,

"and I do," Arietta said walking into the room, "know Erin, and Tee, and Jemima, and all females who live in the Dumping ground are off limits."

"Even me?" Kitty asked,

"Kitty, if I was going to hit on you, I would have done it back when we were in _Miss Harrow's Home For Girls," _Arietta told the younger girl.

Silence. Everyone looked around stunned.

"You were at Miss Harrow's," Kitty said slowly,

"yep," Ari replied.

"Is that the specialist care home?" Rick asked,

"yeah," Kitty said slowly, not making eye contact with anyone, "sorry," she said before rushing from the room.

**Sorry for taking so long to update**

**Hope you liked this chapter and please review xxx**


	35. Talking Is Overrated

**Chapter 35 **

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing, and I was planning on including Immy and Cherry at some point but now I definitely will do.**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

Most homes are stable, change happens gradually, over the course of weeks, months, years.

However, at the Dumping Ground it wasn't stable, change was inevitable and it always happened quickly, with little warning. But one small change could resonate round the halls for months.

Good changes and bad changes.

Good changes like Erin.

When Erin arrived she united them, bringing the members of the dumping ground together, closer than ever before.

Sam's arrival had very little impact, she changed their world for a few hours at the most, then life carried on as normal. While she was pushed aside, and forgotten by her peers.

Elektra's departure and Kitty's arrival caused segregation within the Dumping Ground, groups were formed so tightly knit, that even the idea of breaking them was a crime.

So the group that had existed over summer – a group including anyone – fell apart, leaving space for the Erin-Rick-Kitty-Johnny group, which dabbled in sides of Frank, and Tee-Tyler, and (very occasionally) Sam.

Then Tee ran away, and Erin and Rick after her, leaving the Dumping Ground without their three main leaders.

Giving the others their time to shine.

Specifically Sam, and the new girl Arietta, in the short run that meant nothing; two girls forming their own group.

But then other people started leaving their allocated groups, and joining new ones, or just ignoring the group system completely and being friends with who they wanted.

All this had happened in a few months, and no one knew how long it would be, till a new person walked through the door, and turned their life upside down.

Again.

Xxx

Kitty Barilo wondered how she failed to recognise Arietta, admittedly the girl who had strutted into the Dumping Ground wearing an outfit that would make most people look like a clown (but some how worked for Ari) was 100 miles away (both physically and metaphorically) from the girl at Miss Harrow's.

How did she miss the deadness in Arietta's eyes?

How did she miss the way Ari would flinch and zone out, for no apparent reason?

How did she miss the similarities between the two of them?

How did she not recognise Arietta from Miss Harrow's girls home for the sexually abused?

Xxx

Arietta straightened her shirt, it was first day back at school after her coming out.

She wasn't nervous, well... she sort of was, but mainly excited, and scared.

Scared about Sam.

Ari sighed, and opened the bathroom door, to find herself face to face with Sam.

"Sam," Ari said,

"I want to say sorry," Sam told her, "and I baked muffins," she produced a Tupperware box, "egg-less muffins."

"You don't cook," Ari pointed out,

"well I helped, Nonno was the one did the actual cooking, I just did the panicking," the blonde replied.

"I'm sorry, if you felt I was pressuring you to do something that you didn't feel comfortable doing," Ari replied, putting her hand on Sam's shoulder.

"I... just want to pass under the radar," Sam said, "I wasn't born to be in the spotlight."

"Unlike me," Arietta said laughing, Sam nodded in agreement,

"like you."

Xxx

Women were meant to bloom during pregnancy; meant to be radiant.

But it wasn't going that way for Erin.

Her hair always looked greasy, like her skin which had lead to an infestation of spots.

She was always starting to putting on weight; only a little, but enough to make the 14 year old girl uncomfortable and self-conscious.

Rick had forgotten to call her beautiful, and people just smirked when they saw her.

Only 3 months beforehand boys had catcalled, and whistled at her when she walked into school.

"_Who's that fit girl with ya Rick?"_

"_Look at her, she's fit as." _

Now, no one said anything, they just looked.

Xxx

"I feel like Regina George," Ari said to Robbie and Sam, the crowded hallway had divided for the newly out girl.

"Robbie is Karen," Sam replied immediately,

"what you even talking about?" he asked,

"Mean Girls, duh," the two girls said in perfect synchronisation.

"Apart from you're more like Janis Ian," Sam pointed out,

"excusez moi bitch, she went straight. At least Damien had solid sexuality."

"Do you think Ari is now a celebrity, or do you think they're just scared of the gay germs?" Robbie asked,

"celebrity," Ari said immediately, while Sam replied, "germs," at exactly the same time.

Robbie just laughed, as Arietta started sulking and the two girls started arguing;

They were going to have a hard time convincing people they weren't a couple.

Xxx

"What are we?" Johnny asked,

"humans," Jemima replied, "also known as homo sapiens."

"I was talking about us specifically," Johnny told her,

"care kids?"

"Jem, we need to talk,"

"and this isn't talking?"

"One day we will get on perfectly, we will talk and we'll kiss, then the next day we'll do nothing but bicker and act like acquaintances and..." Johnny paused, looking up at the Welsh girl, "I can't do it any more."

Jemima didn't meet his eyes, she just stared at her hands.

"Johnny, it will never be simple for us," she told him, "I'm just too..." she paused searching for the right word;

_murderous, exploitative, obsessive._

"Welsh," she told him, "I'm too Welsh."

"How does your nationality affect us?" Johnny questioned.

"How doesn't it?" she replied, walking away.

Xxx

"She's cute," Ari said, Sam looked up and started surveying the room.

"Who?" she asked.

"Red head, cute dimples, green hoodie," Arietta told her.

"That's Lana," Sam said, "she's on the rounders team."

"She's sooooo gay," Ari pointed out, Sam sighed, "what? You're straight, you can't be jealous because other cute girls are checking me out."

Sam said nothing, and Ari just got up to put her rubbish in the bin.

"Sam, you can't have Ari and be _straight_," Robbie pointed out, "it just won't work."

"Wish it could do," Sam muttered,

"so do I."

Xxx

"Kitty are you ok?"

The 14 year old girl snapped back to reality, her entire class was staring at her.

"Would you like to get a drink of water?" the teacher asked,

"yes..." Kitty said, "please... ssssir."

She quickly exited the classroom, she couldn't focus on anything.

It was like she was reliving Burnywood, but this time on a different side of attack.

She wasn't the victim, she was the perpetrator.

She had started shooting at Ari with no reason, simply because the Chinese girl was there and Erin wasn't, and she shared too many similarities with her (ex-)best friend for her liking.

She was throwing stones at Ari's glass house, from her own glass house.

She had been a hypocrite through and through, and she had no idea who she had turned out like this.

But she did know one thing;

She hated the girl she had become.

Xxx

The group of "popular" girls glared at Ari, who, in reply, smiled sweetly back.

"Miss, can I go to the printer?" she asked, her teacher simply nodded.

Ari left the classroom, and walked to the printer, to discover it was being used.

She paused for a moment, straightened her shirt and strutted up to the girl.

"Hey," she greeted, smiling at the red head.

"Uh... um... I mean uh... hello," Lana stuttered in reply.

"Lana, right?" Ari asked,

"um..." the girl paused, trying to remember her name, "yes, I'm Lana."  
"and I'm Arietta,"

"I know," Lana replied, "everyone knows who you are."

"Exceptionally cute,"

"I said who, not what," the red head told her, Ari laughed, and ignored the small voice in her head, asking her _what she was doing and why she was doing it_.

"So are you out?" Ari asked Lana,

"I'm not gay," Lana told her, Ari raised an eyebrow.

"You're telling me that you're straight, and the eye fucking at break meant nothing," she questioned.

Lana said nothing, Ari just laughed and picked up her printing.

"See ya later," Arietta called, over her shoulder as she walked back to class.

Lana simply stood at the printer; stunned.

Xxx

"Want to hang out after school?" Tee asked Tyler, the younger boy looked up.

"We always hang out," he pointed out,

"I'm talking about outside the Dumping Ground," Tee told him.

Tyler paused, thinking, "like a date?"

The two teens considered for a second,

"do you want it to be?" Tee asked quietly,

"you know I like you," Tyler replied.

"It's a date," Tee said.

"McDonalds?" Tyler suggested,

"McDonalds," Tee confirmed.

Xxx

"Right, I've gotta to go," Sam said, "basketball practice."

"See ya," Ari called after her blonde friend. She turned to Robbie, "outside?" she suggested. He simply nodded.

The two of them pushed their way out of the crowded canteen, and headed out into the playground, which was empty apart from a few groups of year sevens, who were fine with the possibility of freezing to death.

"It's freezing out here," Ari said stating the obvious,

"it's December," Robbie reminded her.

The two friends sat in silence for a moment.

"I don't want to live like this any more," Robbie suddenly burst out,

"understandable," Ari replied, she paused, "you've got better at doing your makeup."

"I can't believe I spent so many years turning a blind eye," he told her, "I should have stood up for Mum years ago."

"But then both of you would have been abused for all this time," Arietta pointed out.

"We should of shared our pain," Robbie muttered.

"No," Ari told him, "you shouldn't have to have pain to share."

Xxx

In small herds, the dumping ground kids flocked to the minibus.

"Mike," Tee said, her and Tyler were the last two to arrive. "Can me and Tyler go into to town? Please?"

"Ok," Mike told them, "be back by half seven."

"Thanks Mike," Tyler said grinning.

Johnny turned to Jemima,

"do you want to go into town?" he asked her,

"why?" she questioned.

"To..." he paused, "we could go to Burger King."

"Why?" Jemima questioned, "we'll get fed anyway at the dumping ground."

"I'm thinking getting food without all of them," he indicated towards everyone else.

"Their presence really doesn't bother me," Jemima said, missing the point.

"Ok, we could hang out then," Johnny stated,

"what time?" Jemima questioned, consulting her notebook, "I have a 15 minute slot free, after dinner."

"Um... ok," Johnny said,

"great," Jemima replied, before scribbling in the word _Johnny _next to 6:30.

Xxx

"Oi," Tyler declared, "that's mine!" Tee just grinned, and carried on eating Tyler's chips. "Eat your own chips!"

"I've already eaten them," Tee told him, going back to her chicken nuggets. In response Tyler grabbed her coke and started drinking it.

Tee went to grab it off him, but he wouldn't let go and she wouldn't let go.

Then Tee found herself covered in sweet fizz.

The two teens stared open mouthed.

Then started to laugh.

"I'm going to get cleaned up," Tee told him,

"ok," Tyler replied, and watched Tee's retreating figure.

He sat silently for about a minute, he checked his phone, ate some more chips, sipped his lemonade, looked up.

A woman was watching him.

A dark haired woman standing outside the shop, with a pram.

She stared straight at Tyler, then her gaze diverted slightly to the right, Tyler looked to see Tee coming, he looked back and saw the woman disappearing into the dark of the evening.

"What's going on?" Tee asked,

"a woman..." Tyler said, "she was watching us."

"Did you recognise her?" Tyler shook his head.

"I have absolutely no idea who she was."

Xxx

"What are you thinking?" Jemima asked Johnny, he looked startled.

"I..." he started, then stopped, took a deep breath. "I was thinking about you."

"What sort of stuff?" the Welsh girl questioned,

"why you're in care," he said, she froze.

"Can we talk about that tomorrow?" she asked, Johnny was surprised. He'd expected her to clam up and kick him out.

"Sure," he replied, "so what do you want to talk about?" he asked.

Jemima paused for a moment,  
"talking is overrated," she told him, before kissing him.

**Sorry it has taken sooooo long for a chapter, but I had work experience and no time to write.**

**Please review xxx**


	36. Setting Up A Scandal

**Chapter 36**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing **

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

"I was born in Cardiff," Jemima told Johnny the next morning as they walked into form room.

"Shocker," he replied, she raised an eyebrow.

"On the 12th February 2000," she continued, "when I was little I wanted to compete in some form of equestrian event at the Olympics. And win. Gold medal for Jemima Anderson of Great Britain."

She smiled sadly.

Johnny considered for a moment, "never really pictured you as a pony girl," he told her, "but you would suit the horse riding outfits."

"Thanks," Jemima replied. "Then once I won a gold medal, I wanted to retrain as a scientist. And win the Nobel prize."

"You weren't that ambitious as a child," he said laughing.

"Yeah," she agreed, "I find it disappointing that I had such low aims in life, I can do so much better than _that._"

"Jem, that was a joke," Johnny told her.

Before either teen could say more, their form tutor entered the room,

"good morning 9BD," she greeted them, "Johnny Taylor that isn't your seat, please can you return to your original place."

Johnny huffed, and pulled himself out of his seat and dragged himself to the other side of the classroom.

Xxx

"Happy Wednesday," Ari muttered, as she sat down next to Erin for their first lesson of double history.

Erin was doodling, Ari peered over the younger girl's shoulder.

She nearly slapped Erin when she saw what she was writing, over and over and over, again:

_Mia Hope Walker_

_Mia Hope Walker_

_Mia Hope Barber-Walker_

_Mia Hope Barber _

_Mia Hope Walker_

Her blood boiled, she clenched her fist, Erin couldn't use that name.

If Mia Hope Rosenberg didn't deserve to live, then Mia Hope Walker didn't deserve it either.

Arietta almost fucked herself when she realised what she was thinking.

Her bitterness and resentment, had pushed its way forward, and...

_Oh my god_, she thought, pressing her mouth into her hand, _I actually thought that, oh my god, god. What sort of fucked up being would do that? _She questioned silently.

_In her mind she was condemning Erin and Rick's child to death, simply because they were going to get what she never would do._

"Arietta are you ok?" their history teacher asked,

"I feel sick," she told him, before rushing out of the classroom but she wasn't able to reach the bathroom.

Instead she vomited all over the corridor floor.

Xxx

Tyler wasn't in her art class, Tee sighed,

"Miss, I ain't got a partner," Bailey called, the teacher surveyed the classroom.

"Tee?" she asked,

"I don't have a partner either," Tee admitted.

"You two together," she declared, Bailey groaned outwardly, while Tee groaned inwardly.

The two year eights sat facing each other, they were drawing their partners.

Tee was irritated because she couldn't get the shape of Bailey's nose right, AND she was stuck on a table with Bailey who wasn't even speaking. Meanwhile everyone else in the class was chatting, laughing and getting in trouble.

"Good start Tee," the art teacher said, peering over Tee's shoulder, "maybe add some shading."

The art teacher carried on round the table, "Bailey!" she exclaimed, "that's brilliant."

"It's ok," Bailey said, shrugging off the compliment.

"Can I see?" Tee asked, Bailey ignored her.

One of the "cool" lads of the class swaggered over, "nice drawing mate," he said sarcastically, "not bad for a sissy."

"What did you call me?" Bailey yelled, jumping to his face and spinning round to face the boy.

"I called ya a Sissy, cos you are one," he replied.

While the two boys were busy getting in each other's faces. Another boy walked over to the table and very deliberately poured dirty paint water over the drawing.

"DOMINIC!" the teacher roared, "CALLUM! SILENCE ROOM NOW, AND DETENTION AFTER SCHOOL!"

Bailey spent the rest of the lesson doing nothing, just sitting at his desk, staring into space.

Well the bell signifying the start of break rang Bailey was out of the door, Tee finally went to look at the spoiled art work.

She stopped stunned, despite the water marks it was still amazing.

Bailey had made her beautiful.

Xxx

"Are you ok?" Sam asked, it was break time and Ari was wrapped in a blanket, looking scarily pale in the medical room.

Ari shook her head. Sam closed the door behind her and walked over to her best friend, she felt Ari's temperature.

"You don't feel hot," she commented,

"am I bad person?" Ari asked her, looking up at Sam, eyes wide.

"Ari..."

"I wanted to kill her," Arietta said cutting Sam off, "I wanted to wait until she was born, and lying in her cot, and then I wanted to smother her with a blanket."

She looked up at Sam, "then I wanted to take a knife from the kitchen, a long one, a long sharp one. Then I wanted to tie Erin up and stab her, like they stabbed me, in all the right places. So she would know how it felt. How it feels to have your baby murdered, and all possible babies killed alongside her."

"Would you..." Sam said shakily, "would you ever... do it?"

Arietta looked up, "I..." she paused, "I don't know. In that moment I would have done it, but the second after that, I hated that I could even consider putting someone through that, and I felt sick, because I had just imagined killing a baby and wounding the mother, and enjoyed it. Then I was sick. Now I hate myself."

Sam remained silent, if she hadn't known about Ari's past she would have walked out ages ago. But Arietta was her best friend...

"I'm just like those fuckers," Ari cried,

"No," Sam declared, her voice strong, "you would never do _that_," she spat the word out.

"I could have done that," Ari stuttered,

"no you couldn't have," Sam told her, "because I know you Arietta Rosenberg, and I know you are better than them, and those stupid thoughts. Which are nothing more than chemical reactions in your brain. You are strong, and you are a good person."

"Really?"

"Yes," Sam replied,

"promise," Ari asked,

"promise."

Xxx

"This is really good," Tee said, Bailey looked up from the football which he was kicking repetitively at the wall.

"What you doing here?" he asked,

"I came to talk to you," Tee told him.

Bailey didn't respond, just carried on kicking the ball.

"It was an amazing,"

"so...?" Bailey asked,

"I," Tee paused, "just wanted to say that."

"Ok," he replied,

"I'll go," Tee told him, he just carried on kicking the ball. She started walking away, then turned back. "Why did you make me so pretty?" she asked him.

Bailey caught the ball, and turned to her, "I just drew what I saw," he replied.

"You think I'm pretty?" Tee asked,

"he never said that," Jemima declared, springing out of a bush, "it was you who thought the drawing was pretty, Bailey drew what he saw. Irrelevant of whether he thinks you're pretty or now," she told Tee.

"Oh," Tee said, "ok."

"Right I'll be off," Jemima said, "no point staying out in this weather, it's 4 bloody degrees."

The welsh girl strode off into the distance, "yeah, I'll go inside," Tee told Bailey,

"ok," Bailey replied softly, and soon he was left alone in the cold.

Xxx

"Hey Robbie," the red head girl said, the teen guy sighed and pulled off his headphones.

"Yeah," he replied,

"do you know where Arietta is?" she asked,

"she was sick," he told her.

"Oh," the girl replied, "could you..." she trailed off, Robbie had put his headphones back on.

Xxx

"My Mum suffered from multiple mental illnesses when I was a child," Jemima told Johnny as she sat down at his table.

Johnny looked stunned at Jemima's bluntness, "she died two days after my 9th birthday, drank my science experiment," she paused, meeting Johnny's eyes, "bleach."

"_Why can't we to do the bleach experiment?" Johnny asked,_

"_we're not doing the bleach experiment," Jemima replied immediately._

"_Why not?" _

"_We're not doing the bleach experiment," she snapped, "now get me the Lithium Chloride, or fuck off."_

_Johnny didn't bother arguing, he just nodded and obeyed the Welsh Girl's wishes._

_She was scary when she was angry and he had appeared to have hit a nerve._

Johnny looked stunned, "that's why you..."

"refused to study bleach," Jemima finished for him, "yes," she admitted.

"I'm sorry," he apologized,

"it's fine, I'm not a priority,"

"Jem," Johnny said reproachfully, "you are importa..."

"I know," she cut him off, "but my clients are my priority."

"Your clients!? Who?"

"You," she said, like it was obvious, "Arietta, Tee, Faith..."

"your friends?" he questioned,

"my clients," Jemima told him firmly.

"So am I your friend as well?" Johnny asked,

"I don't have friends," she told him, "I have clients. I used to have friends, now I have clients."

Xxx

The two girls sat in the medical room, Sam had her arms wrapped around Ari.

"I don't deserve this," Arietta said,

"well you have _this _anyway," Sam told her.

Ari stood up, and started pacing.

"Ari not going to help," Sam pointed, "Ari, Ari, Ari," she repeated, trying to get her friend's attention. "Arietta."

"What?" Ari asked, Sam stood up, walked over to the older girl and took her hands.

"Ari, something like this isn't going to change how I feel about you," Sam told her,

"how do you feel about me?" the Chinese girl questioned, eyes wide, staring at her best friend.  
"I..." Sam was interrupted by a knock at the door.

The two girls jumped apart,

"come in," Ari called, the door opened and the red head entered.

"Sam?!" Lana stated surprised, "I didn't know you were together."

"We're not," the two girls replied together.

Lana smiled slightly, she took a step towards Arietta.

"I heard you were sick, are you ok?" she asked now, subtly touching Ari's hand, Sam frowned.

Ari said something in reply, Lana giggled, an annoying, cute, girly, but kind of attractive, giggle.

"Sam, could you give us a moment?" Lana asked, grinning.

Arietta paused looking torn.

"Oh god, I feel..." Ari sprinted out of the room to the toilet.

The bell to signal the end of break rang.

"You should go to class," Lana suggested, "I'll check Arietta is ok."

"No," Sam told her, "she's my best friend, you can tell Mr Durwood that I'll be late to geography."

"I..." Lana started,

"GO!" Sam commanded, voice strong, standing her full height. Lana scuttled away.

About 10 seconds later Ari walked out of the toilets,

"someone was getting territorial," Arietta pointed out, smirking.

"You're my best friend," Sam replied,

"it was hot," Ari told her.

"Were you sick?" Sam asked,

"you really think I felt sick?!" Ari exclaimed, laughing.

"Well I felt sick," the blonde said quietly.

"Maybe it was the gay germs," Arietta said, "maybe you'll be converted by them too."

Xxx

"What you doing?" Rick asked his girlfriend, Erin looked like a child caught with her hand inside the cookie jar. "Erin," he said, she passed him the piece of paper.

On it was a name, the same name with variations, written hundreds of time.

_Mia Hope Walker_.

"Has anyone seen Samantha Carter?" Mr Durwood asked, Lana said nothing. Immediately Sam walked in, "you better have a good excuse for being late Samantha."

"I was with Arietta Rosenberg in the medical room, didn't _Lana Revol_," Sam paused, putting emphasis on the name, "say anything?"

"I forgot," Lana replied, smiling sweetly.

Sam rolled her eyes, and walked over to her usual table where Erin and Rick were sat.

"What's that?" she asked peering at the paper.

Her stomach churned when she saw the writing; _Mia Hope Walker_.

"It must have taken ages to write all that," Sam said,

"I was doing it in history," Erin admitted.

Sam silently realised, that must have been the trigger for Ari.

"Ari's going to be picked up soon," she told them,

"I hope I don't get the bug off her," Erin replied.

"If she infects you," Rick said, "she'll regret it."

Xxx

"So, if I'm your client," Johnny stated, "what are you to me?"

"Welsh," Jemima replied.

Xxx

"Want to hang out tonight?" Tyler asked,

"sorry," Tee replied, "got loads of art homework and I think we've been barred from McDonalds."

Xxx

Jemima's phone vibrated, she pulled it out of her bag, reading the text, making sure the teacher wouldn't notice.

"Who is it?" Johnny asked,

"Melanie," Jemima replied,

"who?"

"The second person who fostered me," Jemima explained, "she had to look after her Dad, and no care home would take him, so she put me back into care. I'm seeing her this Saturday."

"You keep in contact with your ex-foster parents?" Johnny questioned,

"I lived with her till about a month ago," the Welsh girl pointed out,

"I forgot that you haven't been at the dumping ground for that long," Johnny said.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked.

"It seems like you've always been part of my life," Johnny told her.

"Jemima Anderson, Johnny Taylor do you have something you need to share with the class?" Mrs Wire, their chemistry teacher barked.

"Johnny was just saying that he feels ill," Jemima said, looking concerned.

"Oh ok, you can go," she replied, "the homework will be online."

The two teens departed the classroom, "what are we doing?" Johnny asked,

"Let's rob the school kitchens," Jemima told him.

Xxx

"What if the baby is a boy?" Rick asked,

"it's a girl," Erin told him, unthinkingly, "it's Mia."

"But what if it is a boy?"

"Rick, I am the mother. I _know _it is a girl."

Xxx

The two teens sneaked into the canteen,

"is this a good idea?" Johnny asked,

"of course," Jemima replied, then she paused, a great idea had struck her. "Could you fake a faint?" she asked him, he looked confused. "If you "faint" then you can collide with this trolley, making a huge noise. The dinner ladies are all stupid, they'll come running. I get into the kitchen, you pretend you felt faint and went to get a glass of water. Deal, ok go," Jemima told him.

"What now?" Johnny asked,

"of course," Jem replied.

Johnny prepared himself, then threw himself into the trolley.

As expected the dinner ladies came running.

And he had no idea how, but Jemima managed to get into the kitchen.

"Are you ok dear?" one lady asked,

"I felt dizzy," Johnny told her, "I was coming to get water."

"I'll get you a glass," one dinner lady said, she got up, went to open the kitchen door but she couldn't. "It's stuck,"

"not again!" another woman exclaimed, then tried, and another, and another.

It was stuck.

Because Jemima Anderson had locked it.

From the other side.

Xxx

The Welsh girl tiptoed into the kitchen.

She surveyed the area, making sure no dinner ladies were left.

She went over to the cookers, and started to pour grease over to work surfaces and floor.

Then she pulled out her tweezers, she went over to the place where the spare hairnets hung, she plucked a hair off the net and started positioning the hairs near the cooking.

She pulled on a pair of plastic gloves, went over to one of the fridges. She started to organize the food, to look as if the food storage could cause food poisoning.

Xxx

"We need to call the caretaker," one of the dinner ladies suggested

Xxx

Jemima emptied the contents of the bag into the brownie mix, then took an identical bag and hid in a nook behind one of the fridges.

She grabbed some of the salt for cooking, and poured an unhealthy amount into the cottage pie.

She went to kitchen door, unlocking it.

Then quickly she grabbed some cling film and laid it on the worktop, she put her first foot onto the cling film, wrapped the cling film onto her shoe so it stuck. Then opened the window with gloved hands, pulled her second foot onto the cling film.

She climbed out of the window, second foot first, then her first foot, which took the cling film with it.

She quickly binned the cling film, ran her fingers through her hair and went into the canteen.

"Johnny!" she exclaimed running into the room, "are you ok?"

"He collapsed," one of the dinner ladies said,

"I shouldn't have gone to the toilet," Jemima said, starting to (fake) fret, "I should have looked after you like Mrs Wire said. Have you had any water to drink?" she asked,

"no," another dinner lady said, "the door jammed."

"Can I try?" Jemima asked,

"it's a waste of time," however Jemima walked over to the door, turned the handle and it opened immediately.

"Oh," was all the dinner ladies said.

Xxx

"What's going on?"

"I'm fucking starving,"

"what is their fucking problem,"

"we have rights,"

"why is the kitchen closed?"

The hallway was crowded with about half the school, the canteen had been shut off, it was lunch and everyone was starving.

Then teachers started arriving.

"Assembly in the hall."

Xxx

The entirety of the school was crowded into the hall, "we have just had a surprise health and safety inspection," Miss Burton said, "and there have been major problems. Meaning that this school is being shut until further notice."

Johnny said nothing, he just looked at Jemima.

She was smiling.

**Please review**


	37. Melanie, Roberta and Rapping

**Chapter 37**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing, your dream sounds really cool, I guess Johnny/Elektra could happen, but then that would mean the end of Johmima.**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing, the last chapter was set on Tuesday the 10th of December 2013, this chapter is set on the Saturday the 14th December 2013**

Jemima looked into the mirror, she looked perfect, not perfect in gorgeous way, more of the squeaky-clean-advertising-school-uniform-for-M&amp;S way, how Melanie liked it.

It was Saturday, 4 days since school had been closed by health and safety. On Thursday a letter had been sent out saying that it would be closed for the remainder of the term.

No one, except for people like Sam and Faith, was complaining. Their Christmas break had been lengthened by 2 weeks, which meant 2 weeks of shopping, bowling, television and food.

And Robbie.

He spent all (school) day at the Dumping Ground before heading home. He never arrived early, and he never left late.

Not that Jemima was timing it or anything.

She heard a car on the gravel, she checked her watch, exactly 9AM.

"Bye Mike," she yelled.

She sprinted out onto the drive, and got into the passenger seat of the silver Mercedes.

"Good morning Jemima," Melanie said,

"morning," Jemima echoed.

Melanie put her foot down, and started to drive back to the flat.

Xxx

Johnny sat in his room, thinking. Trying to work out what Jemima was attempting to achieve.

She had closed school.

But that made NO sense.

Jemima loved school.

His first instinct would be checking her room for plans, but she was Jemima Anderson she probably had her own CCTV, have a way of recognising DNA and she would either do all her planning in her notebook or her head.

Xxx

"Ari," a small voice said.

Arietta looked up from her violin, "Kitty," she said surprised.

The younger, and considerably smaller, girl was watching her. "I'm sorry," she replied quietly.

"For what?" Ari asked,

"for how I acted," Kitty told her, "how I accused you of over reacting, simply because wallowing in my own self pity."

"Who are you? And what have you done to Kitty?" Arietta said jokingly.

"Sorry," Kitty repeated.

"It's fine," Arietta replied, "I've acted badly too, besides we are allowed to make mistakes, we're only human."

"Why don't you hate me?" Kitty asked,

"hate is strong word, and a strong emotion. You just acted like a bitch, so you're not on my hate list, you're on my _mildly irritating_ list."

"But I started the rumours about you,"

"how did you know I'm a lesbian?" Ari questioned,

"I... made it up, to cause more drama," Kitty admitted, Ari just laughed.

"Well I forgive you," Ari told her.

"Everyone else hates me,"

"everyone used to hate Robbie," Arietta reminded her.

Kitty stood up, started to walk towards the door then turned back.

"Ari," she said, turning back, "did you ever have any children?"

Arietta fell silent, "thought so," Kitty said quietly, "and I don't know what happened to you. But I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry about your Dad," Ari replied.

Xxx

Jemima and Melanie sat down at the glass table, they were a silent for a moment.

"Nice touch with the cannabis," Melanie finally said,

"thanks," Jemima replied, "so what are the authorities saying?"

"Well, let's think; food contamination, failure to meet basic health and safety standards, drugs, dangerous levels of Sodium Chloride in cooking," Melanie smiled, "you've done a very good job, it has helped my argument massively."

"How's it coming along?" Jem asked,

"well one my main arguments is how you have been sent to a completely unsatisfactory school, and you have a right to a decent education, and you being refused a better education funded me is a violation of your rights." Melanie explained, she lowered her voice, looking proud of herself, "I reckon you'll be back in your school by January."

Xxx

"It will be fun," Tee told Mike,

"so... who will it be?" Mike questioned,

"from outside of here?" Ari asked, Mike nodded, "Sam and Robbie."

"And it will be all of you?" he asked,

"apart from Harry, Mo but Jody could decide whether she wants to come or not."

Mike considered for a moment, "ok," he said finally.

Tee, Tyler and Ari, high-fived.

"But only if you go food shopping with Tracy."

Xxx

"Did you ask for payment?" Melanie questioned,

"no," Jemima exclaimed, "I rescued them from a lift, I wasn't babysitting their cat."  
"Well did you sue the shopping centre?"

"No. They gave us 200 quid each, to keep us quiet,"

"you should have sued," Melanie told her, "you could have made more money."

"Well I wasn't the one trapped in the lift, I had no excuse to sue and I reckon breaking into an elevator wouldn't be particularly highly regarded in court," Jemima pointed out, "anyway we have bigger things to worry about. Like getting me back in my school, and I don't mean St George's."

Xxx

"Pringles, marshmallows, mini eggs, chocolate, cookies," Tyler recited, almost as if it was a religious mantra, as he chucked the food into the trolley.

"They sell mini eggs in December!" Arietta exclaimed, "I thought they were an Easter thing."

"Welcome to England, the shops always selling for events 6 months in the future," Tracy said.

Xxx

Rick, Tyler and Frank were carrying blankets, food and mattresses up to the attic. Arietta had gone to inform, and Tee had been left to tell Robbie.

She had gotten the address off Ari, and she found herself standing outside the detached house.

She walked up to the blue door, with peeling paint. She took a deep breath before knocking.

She stood waiting, and waiting. She was about to turn away when the door flew open.

"What do you want?" a tall muscled man barked,

"does Robbie live here?" Tee replied,

"yes," the man snapped.

"Could I talk to him?" she asked,

"what about?"

"We are having a group sleepover tonight, we wanted Robbie to join us," Tee said.

"At your house?"

"Yes,"

"where do you live?"

"I live at Elmtree house,"  
"the children's home?!" Robbie's dad looked disgusted,

"yes."

"I will think about it," he said, before slamming the door in Tee's face.

Xxx

"That makes no sense," Melanie declared,

"precisely," Jemima said grinning, "if it is totally nonsensical, no one could ever decipher it."

"You should be working for MI5, with those coding skills."

"Bit below me," the Welsh girl stated, "I could do so much better."

"You got that right Jemima Anderson."

Xxx

"ROBBIE!" He yelled, his teenage son scampered down the stairs.

"Yes Dad," he replied,

"a girl from the care home was asking for you," his Dad stated,

"who?" Robbie asked, "Ari."

"I didn't get her name, but that is irrelevant. Why are you hanging out with that sort of scum?"

"They're not scum, they're my friends and if you don't let me go, then they'll suspect something is wrong and they'll send the social round," Robbie said, playing on his Father's biggest fear.

His Dad responded by pushing him to the ground.

"And if the social come round, then they'll see what's wrong. You and that whore," Robbie's dad, pointed at his wife, who was standing wide eyed in the doorway. She scuttled into the kitchen, back to cooking lunch.

Robbie pulled himself from the ground, but his Dad kicked him back down before walking into the kitchen. And slamming the door behind him.

Xxx

"Are you staying for lunch Arietta?" Aldo asked,

"unfortunately I'm not," Ari replied,

"Arietta was just inviting me round for a sleepover," Sam explained,

"ooh," he said, his wife elbowed him.

"It's not like that," Sam told him,

"it isn't," Arietta agreed, "it's a group thing."

"But not like that," Sam hastily said, as her Grandparents laughed at how flustered she had become in such a short time. "Grandma! Nonno!" she exclaimed.

"See ya later Sam," Ari yelled, laughing.

Xxx

"This is gonna be awesome," Tyler declared,

"you got that right mate," Rick agreed.

Amazingly Mike, Gina and Tracy were completely on side, and Mike had even agreed to order in pizza, as long as they promised to look after the younger ones.

The attic was filled with mattresses, and blankets, and sleeping bags and food. Fairy lights were strung up everywhere.

Xxx

"See you soon," Melanie said, "I'll phone as soon as I've got news."

"Bye," Jemima replied, she walked inside where she was immediately ambushed by Tee.

"We're having a sleepover," Tee told her, "everyone in the attic."

Xxx

An hour later, everyone apart from Robbie was sitting surrounded by blankets in the attic.

Erin was wearing a top, that skimmed over her body, defining the soft curve of her stomach.

So defining that Ari couldn't look away, and she was gradually feeling worse and worse.

Finally she buried her face in Sam's shoulder, "I can't do this," she whispered, Sam looked round and saw what was causing Ari the problem.

"Are you sure your not cold?" Sam asked Erin,

"I'm fine," Erin replied,

"is Ari ok?" Kitty asked, Sam paused, before stroking Ari's hair.

"She's just tired," the blonde said in explanation.

Xxx

Mike and Gina were sat downstairs, they had given Tracy the evening off when the doorbell rang.

"The pizza was quick," Mike said, checking his watch.

He went to the front door, and found Robbie and his Dad waiting outside.

"The girl said he has been invited to a sleepover," his Dad stated,

"yes," Mike replied, "hello, I'm Mike Milligan, head care worker of Elmtree house," he extended his hand, Robbie's dad didn't shake it.

"I'll pick you up at 10," he said, then he stormed off.

"Please come in Robbie," Mike said, Robbie smiled gratefully.

"Was that the pizza?" Sam asked, running down the stairs. Ari in tow.

"Robbie!" Arietta exclaimed, hugging her best friend. "We thought you weren't coming."

"My Dad changed his mind last minute," he told them.

"Let's go up," Sam declared.

They went up the first set of stairs, "actually I need the toilet," Robbie said,

"I'll show you where it is," Ari replied, "and you can get changed at the same time."

Xxx

"Robbie's here," Sam told everyone, as she entered the attic, "he's gone to get changed." She mock shivered, "god it's freezing in here, I don't understand how you're not frozen Erin."

Erin paused, suddenly starting to feel cold and pulled on a hoodie. Making her baby bump invisible.

Sam smiled in jubilation, Ari would now feel better.

Xxx

"I'm surprised my Dad let me come," Robbie told Ari,

"I was surprised too," she admitted, "I think he terrified Tee, when she asked you to come. Eww... nasty bruise,"

Robbie looked at his shoulder surprised, almost as if he hadn't noticed the huge purple bruise.

"Dad pushed me over, I collided with the post at the bottom of the stairs."

Arietta said nothing, Robbie understand her silence and pulled on his hoodie to hide the bruise.

Xxx

The pizza was long finished, and people were chatting.

Mike knocked on the door,

"Mo, Harry, Jody, bed time,"

"but..." Jody whined, "I'm only a year younger than Tee, Tyler and Bailey."

"Well you could stay up there, but then you'd be too tired for the Christmas biscuit fair..." Mike didn't have to say any more, Jody had already sprinted down the stairs.

When Mo and Harry finally disappeared, and Mike was gone, the classic sleepover game came up.

"Truth and dare," Erin declared, Sam groaned, remembering having to kiss Johnny, even though he clearly liked Jemima.

"Arietta," someone said,

"truth," Ari decided.

"How long have you gone without showering?"

"About 9 years," she told them grinning, "we didn't have a shower, when I lived in China."

"Tyler," she picked,

"dare," he said immediately,

"I dare you to speak in rhyme for the rest of the evening," she replied.

"What?!" he exclaimed, he paused, "pot. Rick," he said, "dick."

The circle started laughing,

"dare," Rick replied,

"I dare you to make up a rap, a crap rap, about Erin," he paused thinking for a rhyme with Erin, "berrin."  
"And wear Sam's snapback at the same time," Ari said.

Xxx

"I hate you," Rick told them, he was wearing gold jewellery (borrowed from Ari) and Sam's snapback, and he was being filmed by Johnny.

"_Erin is ma babe, and we like to go a ravin'_

_All around da town, do ya know what am I sayin'_

_She's P to the E to the N to the G, and I'm gonna buy her a diamond ring_

_We will walk around da town, and all you bitchez will get on the ground_

_Cos she is hot, and you are not. Now, let us take a selfie."_

The dumping ground cheered as Rick finished his rap,

"impressive," Tee commented,

"wow," Tyler told them, "bow."

"Were you meant to sound that stupid?" Jemima asked.

Xxx

"Frank, truth or dare?" they asked,

"dare," he replied,

"I dare you to walk in high heels,"

"what?!" Kitty exclaimed,

"where are we going to get heels big enough?" Erin wondered,

"Ari has huge feet," Tee pointed out, "and loads of heels."

Xxx

About fifteen minutes later Frank was finally able to make it to the other side of the room.

"Why does anyone walk in them?" Rick asked,

"because in a male influenced society, men are more likely to help a woman who is wearing ridiculously high heels, and there is a desperate urge to conform to society's idea of beauty."

"So that's why you own at least 12 pairs of high heels," Johnny pointed out,

"the majority of them were my older sister's," Ari told them.

"Robbie, truth or dare," Frank interrupted.

"Dare,"

"I dare you to dress up as a girl."

Xxx

Kitty, Erin, Tee and Arietta, had gone downstairs to help doll Robbie up.

"He's never going to fit in my clothes," Ari stated,

"but you're the tallest," Kitty pointed out,

"and the slimmest," she reminded them, "I'm straight up and down, with a body like a boy. A 9 year old boy. Not a 14 year old boy like Robbie."

"Well it's the shoulders that will be a problem," Kitty pointed out, "not the hips. So let's get him in a school skirt."

Xxx

Half an hour later the 4 girls reappeared, "we would like to introduce you to our dear friend Roberta," Kitty said. Then up the stairs strutted Robbie, wearing a hitched up a school skirt, showing off his legs. Then he was wearing a massively over sized white t-shirt and a huge fluffy black coat. That had been an impulse buy from when Ari was 12.

His lips were painted postbox red, his eyes were heavily outlined and he was wearing a blonde wig.

Johnny wolf whistled.

"Hello Roberta," Tyler said, "hello yob hurter."

People just rolled their eyes at Tyler's bad rhyme.

Xxx

"Sam," Roberta said, flicking her blonde wig so dramatically that it fell off.

"Truth," Sam replied, Roberta paused, thinking.

"Describe the traits of your perfect partner," Jemima said, before Roberta could reply.

Sam stopped, thinking, "kind," she said, looking at the floor, "someone who will confront me, and will tell me if they disagree with me. But will also comfort me, and make me feel special. Crazy," she added, "someone who will be everything to me, someone..."  
"haven't you just described Arietta?" Jemima questioned, Sam looked up, her eyes met with Ari.

"She's my best friend for a reason," Sam suddenly declared, "surely it makes sense to pick friends with traits that you like."

"She's got a good point," Faith said, moving on the conversation. Sensing Sam's discomfort.

Xxx

"When will you two admit that you like each other?" Robbie asked Sam and Arietta,

"we've already admitted that," Ari pointed out,

"numerous times," Sam added.

"But will you ever act on your feelings?" he asked them,

"postbox," the two girls told him together.

Xxx

_I could take your hand, and lead you through the dance_

_I could put on a small performance, and call it romance._

_I could confess my undenying love for you, underneath the stars._

_But that is not who we will be. That is not who we are._

_For we have loved, and we have lost. Too many times before,_

_And the idea of losing you chills me to the core._

_I loved the ones I lost, and I don't want to lose you too._

_The only way to save you, is to make sure I never love you._

_The sun will fade, and sky will grey, if you ever leave my life._

_But everyone I love dies, so I have to save your life._

Xxx

It was 2 when they finally turned the light out, and Sam immediately found Ari splayed across her mattress.

"Ari," Sam groaned,

"you love me really," Ari muttered sleepily, snuggling up to the blonde girl.

Xxx

_But maybe one day we'll find an exception, and you can be my wife._

**This was a quick update to make up for my recent slowness, plus I don't know when I can upload again.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, even if it was a bit of a filler one, and I apologize for the random poem at the end. I don't know what came over me.**

**Anyway please review, because I like reviews **


	38. Kissing and Karaoke

**Chapter 38**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Guest for reviewing**

**I don't know how long it will be till I write the Christmas chapter, but if it does correspond with real life then I'm sure I can upload it on Christmas Eve.**

**As for naming the baby Rachel Darci Barber-Walker, after the authors of this series...**

**I'll think about it.**

"10 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!" Mo yelled, sprinting through the halls.

"Is it always like this?" a tired Robbie asked Sam,

"yep," she replied as they walked into the kitchen, "definitely haven't missed this," everyone was bickering and arguing who deserved the last of the coco pops.

"A normal Sunday morning at the Dumping Ground," Johnny told him,

"it's certainly very..." Robbie paused, "social."

"That's what happens when you live in a house with 15 other people," Arietta laughed,

"14," Jemima corrected her.

"Whatever," Ari mouthed, flicking her hair, which hit Sam in the face.

"I'm going to the CHRISTMAS BISCUIT FAIR!" Jody yelled.

Xxx

It was bang on 10 when Robbie's dad showed up, who didn't even greet his son, instead just shoved him into the car.

Ari just watched from the window, wishing she could do something.

Xxx

"We should beat the world record!" Tyler declared,

"that could be tricky," Jemima pointed out,

"I bet no one has ever thought of it, and once we have beaten the record, we sell it to make a ton of money," he said.

"Yeah," Tee agreed, "I doubt it would take long to make the world's longest paper chain."

"The record was last broken in June 2005," Jemima told them, "by a group of 60 Americans, who made a 54.33 mile long paper chain in 24 hours."

"Oh," was all that Tyler could say.

"I think we should just make it for the Festive Spirit," Faith said,

"I'm with Faith," Rick stated.

Xxx

"The tree's arrived already!" Sam exclaimed, running up to the door to help her Grandparents carry it through the door and into the lounge.

"It's a... " Ari paused, "a nice tree."

"Of course it is," Aldo declared, "I picked it." Lynne rolled her eyes,

"refused every tree I suggested," she told Arietta, who laughed.

"Nonno," Sam said, scolding her Grandfather playfully.

"Ari, could you help me fetch the decorations?" Lynne asked,

"I'll get them," Aldo said,

"no, not after last time, plus Arietta is taller than you are, and wouldn't do something stupid like decide to balance on a bin," Lynne reminded him.

The two girls looked at each other confused, "a few years ago he couldn't reach a shelf, so stood on a bin, put his leg through the window and broke his collarbone," she explained.

"Really?" Sam asked, "Nonno?"

"I'll help," Arietta told the older woman, and they headed upstairs, leaving Sam to scold her Grandfather.

Xxx

"Jem, can I have a minute?" Johnny asked, Jemima consulted her watch and then the paper chains in front of her.

"But that will minimize performance by 3.8%," she told him.

"One minute," he pleaded.

"Ok."

The two teens headed out into the hallway,

"I was wondering if you want to come to the shops with me," Johnny said,

"that will take considerably longer than a minute," Jemima pointed, "and you've only got 49 seconds left."

"Not now, later,"

"how much later?"

"after lunch," Johnny said, Jemima consulted her diary,

"I'm free 2 till 3," she told him.

"It's a date,"

"is it?" Jemima asked, "because if it is a date, I will need to schedule pre-date planning and in that case I won't be able to fit you in till Tuesday. But then again that is based on the prediction of how long getting ready will take, and I am yet to cross reference that with what is socially acceptable, to create an average of how long it should take me to get ready for a date. But if that average is more than 47% over my prediction, then I won't be able to fit you in till Thursday."  
"Jem," Johnny said,

"25 seconds left," she shouted.

"It's not a date, it's just a... thing," he told her, she stood waiting for an explanation, "I'm being sent to buy replacement decorations."

"And you need me because...?"

"For company," he told her.

"Is company necessary?" She asked, he paused, "of course it is," she replied, tone changing, "it is only natural for humans to feel that company is a necessity. 10 seconds."

Johnny looked confused, "7, 6, 5," Jemima told him, suddenly he pulled the Welsh girl into a kiss.

She pulled away, a few seconds later, "0," she told him, grinning slightly, before walking back into the kitchen and going back to her paper chains.

Xxx

"Ari, you don't have to do this," Sam reminded her best friend, she turned to her grandparents, "you can't just drag her into _our_ Christmas preparations."

"Yes, we can," Aldo declared, "she is practically family."

"I don't mind," Ari told her best friend.

"That's sorted then," Lynne said, "Ari could you help me decorate the tree?"

"No she can't," Aldo stated, "she's going to help me in the kitchen."

"You've got Sam," Lynne reminded him, "so I'll have Arietta."

"But Sam does nothing but question my 50 years of experience," Aldo told his wife, "Arietta knows I am right."

"Arietta, tell Aldo that he's wrong," Lynne practically begged.

Sam just sat on the side, watching the argument, eating ginger bread.

"How about you two work in the kitchen, and Sam and I will sort out the Christmas tree," Ari suggested,

"I'm with Ari," Sam declared immediately.

"Of course you are," Lynne said, and Aldo just laughed.

Xxx

"How was it?" Faith asked,

"it was AMAZING!" Jody yelled, "people kept giving me free biscuits, but Mike wouldn't buy anything."

"Well you did buy a lot of biscuits when we went to shopping centre," Tee pointed out.

"But these biscuits were really really really nice," Jody explained.

"Is Arietta here?" Mike asked them, as he walked past.

"She's at Sam's," Faith replied,

"ok, then I guess lunch is ready, so you better go through," Mike told them.

Xxx

"Ari, stop taking selfies," Sam commanded,

"but I look great," Ari complained, twisting round to change the light.

"But the Christmas tree is meant to be wearing the tinsel, not you."

"What illness did the Christmas tree get?" Arietta asked,

"tinsellitis," Sam replied,

"tonsillitis," Ari said at the same time.

"Ari, the joke is tinsellitis, not tonsillitis," Sam explained,

"oh..." Arietta started laughing, "that makes sense now."

Sam shook her head in despair.

Xxx

"Johnny wait over there," Jemima commanded, staring at her watch.

"What are we waiting for?" he questioned,

"for 2'o'clock," the Welsh girl explained, "and you have to stay over there, because if you're within 2 metres of me, then that is violating the idea of spend just an hour together. So you have to wait there, till the hour starts."

"Jem..."

"What are you waiting for?" Jemima asked, "we've only got an hour."

"But you said we had to wait,"

"Johnny, it is now 2," Jemima shook her head, ashamed that she had to point out the obvious.

Xxx

Kitty paused, her whitened knuckles an inch from the door.

What seemed like a lifetime ago, Erin and her had shared a room, but after Erin came back, Kitty was moved into her own room.

Finally she knocked on the door, "Erin," she said, voice small, poking her head round the door.

"Kitty!" Erin exclaimed,

"I was wondering if you would like to..." Kitty looked up, then quickly away, "hang out?"

Erin looked surprised, "I didn't know you still liked me..." she trailed off,

"of course I like you," Kitty replied, suddenly feeling more confident, "you're my best friend."

Xxx

"What colour scheme?" Jemima asked,

"it's tinsel!" Johnny exclaimed, "can't we just get a variety of colours."

"No," she told him firmly,

"but the paper chains are multicoloured," he pointed out.

"Ok we'll have red and gold for the tree," Jem said, taking charge, "and we can have a variety of colours for the rest of the house."

Xxx

"What is Nonno doing?" Sam asked her Grandmother, looking out into the garden where her Grandfather was sat, blissfully unaware of the cold, with a fishing rod, surrounded by plants.

"Um... just a... tradition," she replied.

Xxx

"So we're asking if Ari wants to help with the tree," Tyler said, Tee nodded.

The two year eights had donned coats, gloves, scarves and hats, for their long journey next door, to Sam's house.

They were walking by the wall, which was shared with Sam's house when suddenly something flew over the wall and the two teens looked up, to see the green leaves, with white berries bobbing above their head.

"Is that mistl...?" before Tyler could finish speaking, Tee was kissing him.

Xxx

"What is he doing?" the two girls questioned, while Lynne laughed, and Aldo stood facing the wall and after a minute, he reeled in the rod from the other side of the wall and headed inside.

Looking very pleased with himself.

He opened the door, and walked in carrying the rod, immediately raised it and hung the leaves over his wife's head.

"Oh... mistletoe," Ari exclaimed,

"mistletoe on a fishing rod," Sam stated, "very... inventive."

Suddenly the two girls heard the two Grandparents laughing,

"we're not a couple," Sam told them, looking up at the mistletoe.

"Oh..." Ari said, "shut up," before kissing the blonde.

Xxx

It took Tee and Tyler 5 minutes to complete their long journey.

And they discovered that they couldn't kiss and walk.

They knocked on the door, Sam opened it look a bit flushed.

"You ok?" Tyler asked,

"there was mistletoe," Ari stated laughing, appearing behind Sam.

"We discovered some random mistletoe," Tyler told them.

"Nonno," Sam said, and in the kitchen her Grandfather laughed.

"When Johnny and Jemima get back we were going to do the Christmas tree," Tee said, "we were wondering if you wanted us to wait for you."

"Well, we've still got to finish the tree here but give us half an hour..." Ari said,

"ok," Tyler said, and the two teens headed back straight away.

"They were holding hands," Sam commented,

"oh look," Ari said, looking at her left hand, and Sam's right, "so are we."

Xxx

"What are you thinking?" Jemima questioned, Johnny looked up,

"I was thinking about," he blushed and looked away.

"Typical male," Jem commented,

"Not _that_," Johnny corrected her, "I was thinking about romantic things, and trying to think of something you would like." He paused, "I mean you're not the average girl, not the girl who wants to be taken on picnics, or to a coffee shop. For all I know you probably hate gender roles with a passion."

"I'm not Arietta, but I do find the whole the male superiority act complete bull..." she stopped, upon seeing the Mother with young children glaring at her. "I don't want to have a brave man to write me a love song, or make me a picnic. I don't want flowers, I would rather have a book. I'm a 21st century girl, I don't want to be stuck in a backwards Patriarchal relationship. I believe in equality, and I don't want to be a prize, I want to be an equal. I don't want to paid less than my male counterparts, or be considered less important simply because of my gender. I don't want to be demeaned by the past."

Xxx

"Do you wish that you and Johnny didn't break up?" Erin asked Kitty, the younger girl played with the corner of the quilt on Erin's bed.

"I thought he would come back to me," Kitty said, "when I dumped him, I never thought it would be permanent but almost immediately he moved onto Jemima."

She looked away from her best friend, "understandably," she almost snorted, "I almost drove him to suicide."

"Kitty you saved him..."

"I saved him from falling off the cliff, but I was the one who pushed him."

The silence between the two girls was uncomfortable, "what do you think of the name Mia Hope?" Erin asked Kitty,

"don't use it," Kitty responded immediately, "it just upsets people."

"But I like it..."

"don't be childish about this Erin, people probably have their reasons for being against it. It's hardly an uncommon name, it could the name of their mother, or their sister, or their child."

Kitty froze,

"Ari," Kitty said, turning back, "did you ever have any children?"

_Arietta fell silent, "thought so," Kitty said quietly_.

"No one in the Dumping Ground has any kids," Erin snorted,

"you never know," Kitty said quietly, "some people might surprise you."

"You'll be telling me next that Arietta has a daughter called Mia Hope, who is dead, yeah right." Erin snorted, "you know what Ari is like, when she arrived all she did was over dramatise. Walking in like she owned the place, and like her past was any worse than ours. Like it was worse than yours..."

"It could be," Kitty told her,

"yeah right, you'll be telling me next that Robbie Jacoby has changed, and what is going on right now isn't him being a nice guy, it's just so he can sleep with the lesbian. God, why are all guys obsessed with sleeping with lesbians? There are plenty of gorgeous straight girls..."

Kitty simply tuned out, she didn't want to hear any more.

Xxx

"Angel or star?" Sam asked, the two girls looked down at the gold star and the angel dressed in white.

The two teens stood in silence, taking a brief moment to remember those they had lost.

"Ari," Sam said,

"I can't reach," Arietta replied, Sam passed her the angel and then lifted Ari up, so her best friend could place the angel on the top of the tree.

"Thanks," Ari whispered, hugging her best friend.

Xxx

"Right Tyler, Tee, Johnny, Rick start putting up the Christmas tree. Erin go and get scissors from the kitchen, to open the packets and remove the labels. Jody, Harry, Mo sort the tinsel into red, gold and other colours. Faith and Frank, can you untangle to fairy lights?" Jemima commanded, "Bailey..."

"who made you the boss?" he snapped,

"well it makes sense because I'm the most organised,"

"you're a control freak," Bailey replied.

"Yes...?" Jemima paused, waiting for him to continue.

When she realised he had finished she turned to Kitty, "Kitty, can you put on some festive music?"

Xxx

By the time Sam and Arietta arrived the Christmas tree was up, Frank and Tyler were winding the lights round and round, and Tee was laughing at Tyler who was getting increasingly tangled up.

Rick and Erin was sat at the table, Rick was writing a Christmas card to his parents while Erin was looking through the Argos catalogue.

Kitty was organising the decorations, and Jody had gotten bored, so simply watched the scene before her, as she sat on the pool table. Eating biscuits.

Jemima was standing on the pool table, shouting orders, "Samantha and Arietta, 28 minutes, 37.6 seconds late."

"Sorry," Ari replied, "what do you want us to do?"

"You have allocated the task of putting decorations round the house," the Welsh girl told them.

"Ok, so shall we..."

"You're meant to be working!" Jemima shouted,

"what about Jody?" Arietta asked,

"it's her _timed _break," Jem declared, she checked up stopwatch, "she has 3 minutes, 16 seconds left. Now WORK!"

Xxx

"This Christmas is gonna be a hell of a lot better than last year," Sam declared,

"you can say that again," Ari told her, hanging up the paper chains.

"I can't even remember last Christmas," the blonde said,

"neither can I, everyday was the same."

Sam paused, "at least this Christmas will better,"

"I may not have the hope of Mia," Ari commented, "but I'm safe this year, which certainly makes up for something."

The two girls carried on working in the hall in silence, "my arms ache,"

"you have no stamina," Sam replied,

"how do you know that?" Ari asked, almost challenging Sam.

The two girls stood nose to nose for a moment, before Arietta started laughing.

"Screw Jemima," she said,

"there are other people I would rather fuck," Sam told her honestly, as Arietta grabbed her hand and pulled her down onto the piano stool.

"What are we doing?" Sam questioned,

"we're improvising," Ari told her, starting to play Christmas songs.

Xxx

"I sense procrastination," Jemima said, her head snapping up. The work force turned to their director.

She jumped off the pool table, and strode out of the room.

Everyone paused for a moment, before following the seemingly crazy girl.

Xxx

They found the procrastination within 20 seconds, but before Jemima could punish the strikers, other members of her work force started singing with two girls.

Next thing Rick had pulled out his guitar, Erin had fetched hers, Ari on the other hand was showing off, clearly in her element.

Everyone was singing, and "dancing", if you could call their unstructured, non-rhythmic bopping _that_.

Erin sung a song to Rick, and Jemima noted the eye-rolling marathon taking place between Sam and Arietta.

"Do you remember when Carmen thought she could sing?" Johnny asked the group,

"oh yeah, and she begged and begged and begged for a karaoke machine," Rick said.

"We've still got it somewhere," Tee told them.

"LET'S DO KARAOKE!" Ari yelled, getting _very _over excited.

Xxx

"Arietta Rosenberg, wait your turn," Jemima commanded, the older girl who was fidgeting and getting more and more desperate to sing.

"Oops, we've put it on shuffle," Jody and Mo said, Bailey groaned.

"It is Johnny's turn," Jemima said, checking her rota.

"I give my go to Arietta," he replied immediately.

Ari jumped up immediately, before Jem could complain and hit the play button, hoping she would get a decent song.

_Closer by Tegan and Sara._

"Who?" Kitty asked, and Sam just grinned, knowing it was the perfect song for Ari.

Immediately the girl was into it, and while not an stunning singer, she could hold a tune and she was pretty good.

She was leaping round crazily and had dragged Sam into the song, by the pre-chorus.

They head banged, they jumped, they acted like complete mentalists. Forgetting that they were singing in front of all the others.

So much so, that by the time the bridge had finished, they had completely forgotten about singing and had gotten a bit a distracted.

By kissing.

**I would recommend checking out the music video of Closer by Tegan and Sara, every time I hear the song/watch the video I immediately think of those two.**

**Sorry I have taken so long to update, I have a feeling that regular updates are now a thing of the past, thanks to the joys of GCSEs.**

**Please review xxx**


	39. Universes Collide

**Chapter 39**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**And thank you all for understanding about my lack of updates, I will try and upload at least once a week.**

**This chapter is rated T for sex talk and Lesbian innuendos.**

"Right," Tyler said, when the two girls broke away.

"What happened to being straight?" Kitty asked, Sam froze lost for words.

"I think you should get a room," Erin told the two girls,

"rich coming from you," Sam declared, "I walked in on you blowing Rick,"

"eww too much information," Ari stated,

"so before you tell me off for kissing Arietta, remember how hypocritical you are being," Sam stated.

"But with normal people it isn't as gross," Erin said, "not being homophobic, but two girls that's weird."

Sam was about to argue with Erin, when Ari cut in.

"Has Rick ever given you head?" Arietta asked Erin, who looked confused.

"What do you mean?" she questioned,

"cunnilingus," Ari said, as if it was obvious. She sighed at Erin's naivety, "the female equivalent of getting blown."

"Eww, why would anyone do that?" Erin asked, and Johnny nodded in agreement.

"Are you seriously asking that question?" Ari stated, eyebrows raised, "next you'll be asking me why people have sex."

"To have kids," Erin told her,

"oh," Ari said, "right, so when you decided to do it with Rick,"

"after only knowing him for a month," Sam pointed out,

"after only knowing him for a month," Ari added, "to have children. To become 14 and pregnant. Even though you have absolutely no means of supporting that child, completely logical."

"Not it isn't," Jemima stated, missing Ari's sarcasm.

"Precisely, it is completely illogical if children are your motivation behind sex. Anyway back to why guys would give girls head? For equality," Arietta stated, as if it was obvious. "When having _normal _sex before partners should be getting pleased, but in a blow job only the guy is getting pleased, so why doesn't the women deserve to be pleased in the same way?"

She sighed, "well at the end of the day it's your own choice to be a second class citizen in your own relationship."

Xxx

The next week of holiday zoomed by with shopping, bowling, decorating, cooking and (in Arietta's case) teaching Sam's Grandfather how to use his iPhone.

The highlight of the week was easily the Christmas fair.

Xxx

"It is strange having the Christmas fair only 4 days before Christmas," Johnny said,

"I think it's a good idea," Tee replied,

"WILL THERE BE BISCUITS?!" Jody yelled down the minibus.

"I think Nonno is a bit annoyed that he has lost his trusted helper to a Christmas fair," Sam said to Ari,

"well I'll return you in one piece," Ari replied grinning.

"That's what I said."

"Last Christmas I was with my parents," Erin said, "I hadn't seen my friends in about 3 years, and I had no friends in the area, and no one to turn to. I never imagined that I would find you," she said softly to Rick, who hugged her in reply.

"Absolutely not!" Jemima declared, "I am not going to ice skate, I am not Jayne Torvill."

"It'll be fun," Tee said, the Welsh girl shook her head.

"No, no, no, and once more no."

Xxx

The fair was in full swing when they arrived, music was blaring, food was being sold, people were laughing and having fun.

"Be back by 6," Mike yelled, as all the kids charged off in different directions.

Ari and Sam sprinted as fast as their extraordinarily long legs could carry them, to the Ferris wheel because it was the only Arietta believed she would like.

They joined the queue, full of packs of youths, and families.

"Two people," the man at the front of the line yelled, Sam and Ari surveyed the line, crazily no one there were no couples in front of them.

Their hands shot up into the air.

They went to the front, paid the man and got into the carriage.

The two girls already in the carriage looked up, they were about the same age as them.

"Hey," Ari said,

"hi," the short haired brunette replied, the two lots of teen girls were awkwardly silent for a moment.

The brunette whispered something in the red head's ear, and the red head blushed awkwardly.

"So how long have you been together?" Ari asked,

"Ari," Sam hissed, elbowing her best friend. The two girls looked surprised.

"What?" Ari questioned, "it's freaking obvious, as soon as I stepped into this carriage, my gaydar went ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding."

"Are you sure that's not because you were in the carriage?" Sam asked,

"I know what my level of gayness is, and I know what your level of gayness is. But adding this two to the equation sends the gayness through the roof. This carriage is practically Lesbos."

"Actually, I'm bisexual," the brunette said.

The four girls were silent for a moment, before they started laughing uncontrollably.

"I'm Arietta," the Chinese girl said, when they finally finished laughing.

"I'm Immy," the brunette replied, extending her hand to first Ari, then Sam.

"Cherry," the red headed girl said, grinning at the two other girls.

"Sam."

"Hmm," Ari said,

"oh dear, she's thinking," Sam stage-whispered, "never a good sign."

"Doesn't Cherry Arietta sound like a name for a drink," Arietta finally stated, Sam shook her head in despair. "I wonder what a Cherry Arietta would taste like? It was probably taste nice..."

"It would probably taste salty," Immy replied.

"Well there would be something wrong if it didn't taste salty," Cherry said, pushing her hair off her face.

"How much longer will I be stuck with the innuendo squad for?" Sam questioned,

"ask Ianto, he's the one with the stopwatch," Immy stated, and Ari hi-5ed her.

Sam checked her phone, "Ari what does Nonno mean by the dragon?" She asked,

"oh," Ari replied, snatching the phone out of the Sam's hand and typing out a reply.

"Ari, I don't need you to text my Grandfather for me," the blonde said.

"Your Granddad can use technology?!" Cherry exclaimed,

"Ari has spent the last 3 days, teaching him to use his iPhone," Sam told the other two girls.

"My Grandparents were never that good with technology," Immy said, "I can't remember them much," Cherry squeezed Immy's hand.

"Are they dead?" Arietta asked bluntly,

"Ari," Sam hissed,

"they might be. I honestly don't know," Immy stated, not sounding particularly upset, "I'm in care," she explained.

"So am I," Cherry added, as if to challenge Sam and Ari.

"Ex-Care kid of a month," Sam replied,

"current care kid."

"Really? That's a crazy coincidence," Immy said, "you'll next be telling me you have two sisters studying in Amsterdam."

"As far as I know," Ari replied, "I don't, but I was never able to keep track of my family."

"I don't," Sam told her.

"So Arietta, are you in foster placement or in a home?" Cherry asked.

"Home,"

"snap," Immy said. "Burnywood?" She questioned.

"I thought Burnywood was closed down?" Sam replied,

"then reopened, I was there with my sisters and brother for a short while," Immy explained.

"I've never heard of it," Ari admitted.

Immy's phone starting ringing, "I need to take this, sorry," she apologized. "Hey Mandy Tennant, yeah, that's great, hmm that could work... well... do you have a criminal record? Umm... probably best to ask, see ya..." she put the phone down.

Ari and Sam, looked at her bewildered.

"My friend is looking at fostering her boyfriend's sister's baby, but she had a few run ins with the police when she was younger, which could be problematic. But it would be even worse if the baby was put into care..."

"how come?" Sam asked,

"basically the Mother is 14, 15 in March, that's when she's due," Immy started, "but her boyfriend used to live at the same care home as us, but he was transferred in July, then..." she paused, taking a deep breath, "he died on the 11th November."

"Poor girl," Sam whispered,

"at least if we can keep the baby then we get to keep a little bit of him," Immy said.

"At least Erin isn't alone," Ari commented, "she's pregnant, and her baby is due just before her 15th birthday. She lives at my home, and her boyfriend is being all supportive."

"One of the few boys who take responsibility," Immy added, "unlike my ex-boyfriend who dumped the poisonous plant that second I returned, even though she thought she was pregnant and he was the Father. Fortunately it was only a pregnancy scare."

"Poisonous plant?" Sam asked,

"Ivy?" Ari guessed.

"Nope, Belladonna,"

"have you realised that we will be getting off in about..." Cherry was cut off, by the operator forcing open their door.

Xxx

"No no no no no no," Jemima repeated, as Johnny held out the ice skates.

"But we've already hired them for you," he replied, "think of all the money that's wasting."

"Get a refund," she snapped. Johnny smiled smugly, and pointed at the sign behind him, _no refunds._

Jemima looked away from Johnny, "I can't ice skate," she admitted finally,

"Jemima Anderson can't do something!" He exclaimed, she sighed, "come on, I'll teach you," he told her.

Xxx

Kitty, Erin and Rick were waiting in the queue for the dodgems, "it's soooooo cold," Erin complained,

"well you're looking pretty hot from where I'm standing," Rick flirted back, as they took 5 steps forward, finally making it to the front of the queue.

The man collecting the money approached them, as the dodgems went off. "All of you over 6?" he asked jokingly, "none of you drunk? Pregnant?" He questioned, before erupting into laughter.

"Go on without me," Erin told Kitty and Rick, before pushing her way back through the queue.

Xxx

Jemima was usually the sort of person that could balance, but on ice even Tyler was beating her when it came to gracefulness.

The Welsh girl was clinging onto Johnny for dear life, and he was just about able to pull her along.

Meanwhile Tyler was zooming along, narrowly avoiding running over small children. While Tee just skated round, looking like a normal person.

She skated over to Johnny and Jemima, and grabbed Jemima's right hand.

"Right, we will teach you how to skate," Tee declared, "properly."

Xxx

"Do you want to get lunch?" Cherry asked, as the 4 of them left the ride.

"Sure," Sam replied,

"long as wherever we go has a veggie option," Ari added.

"Sounds good to me," Immy agreed.

"Do you know that girl?" Ari asked, gesturing the girl who was glaring at the group of them.

"That's the poisonous plant," the brunette stated, "she hates me for some utterly bizarre reason."  
"You kissed her ex-boyfriend..." Cherry started,

"he was my ex-boyfriend first," Immy replied, while Cherry rolled her eyes.

"Dating Bi Girl problems," Ari stated,

"ever been with one?" Cherry questioned,

"nope, kissed a few girls but never actually been in a proper relationship..."

"Aren't you two?" Immy asked, pointing at her and Sam.

"We are best friends," Sam replied.

Cherry and Immy exchanged a look, "you're telling me that you're _just_ friends."

"Yes," Sam said, pausing, before continuing, "who occasionally kiss each other, regularly flirt and get territorial the second another girl walks in the room."

"Are you even lesbians?" Cherry questioned,

"when you put it like that we do sound like gay men," Ari commented, "but we did U-Haul..."

"we were made to share a bedroom," Sam reminded her.

"And you moved your stuff into my room."

"That sounds like a lesbian relationship to me," Immy stated, Cherry nodded agreement, "the second Cherry moved into my room, we were a couple."

"But we're not a couple," Sam reminded them.

They continued walking through the town, "you two..." Cherry started, just as Sam and Arietta saw something at exactly the same time.

"POSTBOX!"

**Ok this chapter was... interesting, but no means the best chapter I have written, but it did combine Chimmy and Sarietta/Postbox. Which an obvious plus.**

**Anyway hope you liked this chapter, and please review xxx**


	40. (Can I) Imagine Me And You?

**Chapter 40**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you xLyraCharlottex for following and adding this story to favourites.**

**Yeah I know nearly 3 weeks since my last chapter, school has been hellish, hopefully I will post another chapter soon **

"Hot dogs reduced to a pound!" "Lucky dip!" "Hook a duck, prize every time." The stall holders kept shouting, as Sam, Cherry, Immy and Arietta made their way round the town.

Ari getting more and more agitated as they did so.

"Ari, are you ok?" Cherry asked, noticing how absent Ari was from their conversation.

"Ari?" Sam said softly, Arietta didn't look at them, instead looked unfocused at the treasure hunt. Then she focused on the treasure hunt, and suddenly looked away, at another store, then looked away, and again and again.

All she could see was _them_.

People grumbled, and shoved their way past the 4 girls.

"I want to go home," Ari told them, voice small.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked, then looked to the bustling crowd, "too many people?"

Ari half shook, half nodded her head. Suddenly she focused on something, the passers by, and she looked away.

Sam turned to look at them when suddenly she saw exactly what was causing Ari the problem.

It was a Christmas fair, and everywhere you looked there were families.

Families with children.

A stinging reminder to Ari of the daughter she had lost.

Sam took Ari's hand, "anyone feel like getting a hot chocolate?" She asked,

"um..." Cherry said, "ok."

"Allons-y," Immy replied, following Sam who led the way.

Xxx

Jody examined the stall, attempting to decide which packet of biscuits was better.

"Jody," she heard someone say. She spun round to see the dark haired figure standing behind her.

"Max," she stated.

"I need your help," he replied.

Xxx

Jemima sat from the bench, watching the bustling crowds and thinking...

"Jem," Johnny said, causing her to jump; firstly because he had caught on unawares, and secondly because no one had ever caught her on unawares. "Are you cold?" he asked, she didn't reply and he sat down beside her, and put his arm round her.

Jemima was stiff for a moment, before relaxing into him, but still feeling cold and not because of the December chill; because of her.

She had never been complicated to herself, she had always known who she was, but now she wasn't sure.

She had always been different but now it seemed to be something that ran deeper.

And it terrified her.

Xxx

Tee and Tyler stood in the queue for the Haunted House, feeling a mix between dread and excitement.

"Are you scared?" Tee asked,

"no," Tyler replied immediately, not meeting Tee's eyes.

"We'll be fine," she replied, grabbing his hand.

Xxx

Everywhere Erin looked she could see families, couples carrying their baby, or surrounded by their numerous children and they were smiling, and happy.

But it made blazingly apparent what Erin wasn't;

An adult.

Xxx

"Four hot chocolates," Sam ordered,

"can one of them have soya milk?" Ari asked,

"absolutely," the barista replied.

"Are you vegan?" Cherry questioned,

"I'm a lacto-vegetarian," Ari responded,

"I swear that means that you're allowed to have milk..." Immy stated.

"Yeah, I just feel like..." the Chinese girl paused, "...it."

Xxx

Robbie Jacoby sat in his bedroom, if you could even call it that since it was lacking it's main feature; a bed.

He sat back against the wall, facing the door, listening to every noise from downstairs. Making an excuse for every sound.

_Maybe he just tripped over, and that loud crash was his collision. Maybe he punched a wall... maybe..._

Although he knew what the dull _thud-thud-thudding _was, he didn't want to know. He wanted to pretend it wasn't happening, that he had a happy loving family.

That everything would be already when he went downstairs, that his Mum's cheeks wouldn't be red from the force of the collision, that her eyes would be dry, but not because she didn't have any tears left to cry.

Instead he would go downstairs, and pretend everything was ok because else could he do?

He was not strong enough to take on his Dad, and his Mum, despite being withdrawn, still hated to see her son being hurt.

So it was best that he stayed out of the way, and prayed for the holidays to be over.

Xxx

The awkward silence, only broken by the chinking of the tea spoon as Ari stirred, was stifling.

"So how long have you been in care?" Sam questioned,

"The start of this year," Immy replied,

"last year," Cherry added.

Awkward silence, Ari continued staring blankly out of the window, stirring and stirring her hot chocolate.

"Ari?" Sam said, "Ari? Arietta?"

"Sorry," Ari apologized,

"are you ok?" Immy asked, concerned.

Ari shook her head,

"Ari,"

"sorry," she repeated, "I'll see you later," she added, before grabbing her back and sprinting out of the coffee shop.

Xxx

"I think that defeated the point of going on the ride," Tyler said, as him and Tee made their way through the crowd.

"Well if you didn't want kiss..." Tee trailed off, a small smirk on her face.

"No," Tyler said, a little too forcefully, "it was... good."

"Only good?" Tee questioned, "I think that was..."

"hello Johnny," Tyler said, interrupting the older girl. Tee turned round to see her older brother, standing behind her, looking less than impressed.

"Tee..." he started,

"Johnny," the welsh girl interrupted, he turned to look at her, "leave them be," she told him, while snaking an arm around him.

"But..."

"It's Christmas," she told him, smiling at him, "and I want a mince pie."

"Ok," Johnny replied, "we'll discuss this later," he told his sister, before walking away with Jem.

"Is it just me, or did Jemima seem really weird?" Tyler asked,

"it wasn't just you," Tee replied, looking after the retreating figures of her brother, and the welsh girl.

Xxx

"Of course," Jody told him, "not that I remember... _him _very well."

"Thank you," Max said, "I wish I could be there but..." he paused, choosing his words carefully, "someone has got to be at home, to try and persuade Dad."

"I don't see what the problem is," Jody replied,

"neither do I," Max told her, "but Dad is... very religious."

"Religion is stupid," Jody stated, "it just makes people do mental things. But the Mum and Kingsley weren't religious..." she trailed off,

"I'm sorry that we weren't there for you," Max told her.

"It's ok, I like the Dumping Ground, they buy me biscuits."

"Hopefully Jack will like the _Dumping Ground_," Max paused, as if asking a question, as if asking: _why is your children's home called the Dumping Ground._

"He will do," Jody assured him, "we all like it."

Xxx

"I can't find her," Sam said, slumping down into the chair.

"Um..." Cherry said, sheepish, "sorry but we've kinda gotta go."

"Yeah, here are our numbers," Immy replied, pushing a napkin with hastily scribbled digits towards her, before grabbing her girlfriend's hand and the two of them rushing from the coffee shop.

Sam just sat there, unsure of what to do, and unsure of how to react.

Trying to work out what she was feeling; the hopelessness, the confusion, the worry starting to weigh down on her.

And trying to work out why she wasn't searching for Ari.

Then she realised that was because she knew Ari.

And she knew what Ari wanted.

Space.

After almost a year and a half spent, with no human company (because those men did not constitute as humans) it would be only expected that Ari would need some time to herself, to gather her thoughts and come to terms with her life.

So Sam picked up the now cold hot chocolate, and waited.

Xxx

It was starting to hit Erin; what she was going to lose.

As she watched the teenagers the same age as her, laughing, smiling, with minor worries, and a childhood.

Erin however had lost her childhood to her abusive parents, and as soon as she had been given a life, a chance to be a kid, she had a mistake and was being thrust into adulthood.

And that wasn't she wanted; she wanted a future, an opportunity to reach her full potential...

Not a baby.

Xxx

Arietta leant against the wall, wiping her eyes, and trying the hardest to control her breathing.

She heard a person approaching, "are you ok?" a woman carrying a baby asked her,

"I'm..." Ari's voice cracked, "fine, thank you."

"Would you like me to call your parents?" the young woman asked, Ari looked up, then shook her head. "Is there anything I can do?"

The teenage girl paused, her eyes fixing on the baby. "What's her name?" she asked,

"Zoe," the woman replied, "she's 20 months."

"Treasure her," Ari told her, brown eyes serious, "love her, cherish her. Be the best Mum you can be, and give Zoe the best childhood anyone could ask for."

The young woman looked stunned, "please," Ari added, and the woman nodded mutely.

"why does it matter to you?" the woman asked, however not unkindly,

"because you can do," Ari replied, before smiling sadly and walking away.

Xxx

Jemima Anderson noticed everything.

The number of steps of every staircase, how the skirts' of the girls in her class seemed to get shorter whenever they had English, how Sam and Arietta would miss each other time and time again, how Erin's self-confidence was chipped away, piece by piece, as she put on weight.

Yet she hadn't noticed her feelings.

Or lack of them.

She hadn't noticed how she was simply replicating the behaviour she saw in her female peers, but without feeling all the strong, blinding, crazy emotions that they felt. She had just thought it was a literary (and teenage) exaggeration but now, as she watched the slight spring in Johnny's step, the flush in Tee's cheeks, the sparkle in Tyler's eyes, she knew it wasn't.

Which led to other questions.

Xxx

Tracy clutched her phone to her chest, how was she meant to tell them?

How was she meant to tell them about how she was leaving the dumping ground?

Xxx

Sam kept on waiting, staring at the blank wall in front of her, clutching Ari's hot chocolate mug.

"Thank you," Ari said, startling her best friend.

"Ari," Sam replied, "are you..." she paused, knowing the answer. Arietta half smiled, taking the seat opposite the blonde.

"So Cherry and Immy left," Ari stated,

"yeah,"

"sorry," she replied, "I just had a moment."

"You don't need to apologize," Sam told her,

"I shouldn't have to run off, just to gather my thoughts,"

"Ari..."

"If I was anyone else, you would be pissed at me..."  
"Ari..."  
"I don't deserve special treatment."

"Ari, I'm not giving you any special treatment," Sam stated.

"Liar," Ari replied,

"ok, maybe a bit," Sam admitted, placing the mug down on the table, "but only because I..." she paused,

"I... what?"

"Because you're my best friend, and best friends should be there for each other no matter what. That wasn't Arietta treatment, that was best friend treatment."

"What do you mean that you wouldn't treat me that way, just for being me?!" Ari exclaimed, mock outraged, "bitch. I'm fabulous. I deserve to be treated like a Celesbian 24/7."

"Yes Miss Rosenberg," Sam replied, laughing.

"Thank you Jeeves,"

"why am I your butler?" the blonde questioned,

"because I need a new hot chocolate," Ari pointed, Sam rolled her eyes, before standing up.  
"With soya milk?"

"You know me so well."

"Too well some might say," Sam muttered, before strutting over to the till, leaving a laughing Arietta.

Xxx

_Maybe adoption_, Erin paused, contemplating, _surely giving the baby a kind, loving, stable family was a kinder thing to do, than attempting (and failing) to be a good parent._

Xxx

"Hi Johnny," she said, he looked up surprised,

"Kitty, um... hi...?" he replied.

"I swear you were with Jemima," she stated, adjusting her woolly hat.

"She went to the toilet," Johnny said, but almost as if he wasn't convinced.

"How long has she been?" Kitty questioned, intrigued.

"About 20 minutes," he admitted, avoiding her gaze, and thrusting his hands into his pockets.

"That's weird," Kitty replied, "I thought Jemima liked you."

"What do you want?" Johnny sighed,

"Erin was acting really weird and..." Kitty paused, thinking of the word, "weird and distant. So Rick wanted to talk to her, and it was obvious that I wasn't wanted."

"Everyone has been acting a bit weird today," he replied,

"Jemima?" she questioned,

"it's so weird, she just keeps giving me mixed signals."

"Well Jemima is hardly the most normal person in the world..." Kitty trailed off, at the glare Johnny was giving her.

"Just saying," she muttered, raising her hands in surrender.

"What do you have against her?" Johnny questioned,

"she's like really insensitive,"

"and you're not?"

"I don't try to be," Kitty replied, sighing, "I don't think I even realise when I am being insensitive."

"And it's the same with Jemima," he stated.

"No it isn't." 

The two teens jumped to find the Welsh girl standing behind them, "I have an agenda that I have to stick to, I have priorities and I have means that need to be achieved. And if being insensitive is the most efficient way to do that, then I will be insensitive," Jemima stated, head raised, making direct eye contact with the other teens. "Is that a problem?"

"Is that your moral for everything?" Johnny questioned, eyes narrowed, "that you will do whatever it takes, to get the results you want?"

He didn't even leave time for Jemima to reply, he just carried on, "actually I don't need to ask that, because I know that it's true and..."

"Are you just going to give me the whole "right and moral" speech?" Jemima snapped, "because believe it or not I know my morals are questionable."

Johnny laughed, almost manically, in response, "questionable? Your heart is in completely the wrong place."

"My heart is in the right place, it is behind and slightly left of my sternum" the welsh girl told him.

"I am not talking physically," he replied,

"if something is not physical, it is not worth my time," Jemima replied, flicking her hair over her shoulder, while Kitty stood awkwardly to the side of the fighting teens.

"What has gotten into you?" Johnny questioned,

"a mince pie, 200 ml of tea, a hot dog..."

"I wasn't talking physically..."

"oh my fictionally-worshipped-being, are you even listening to what I'm saying?! If something isn't physical it isn't worth my time."

"What about love?" Kitty asked, voice small,

"love isn't a physical entity, which means to me it doesn't exist."

Johnny froze, "I thought you liked me,"

"if I didn't like you I wouldn't waste my time on you,"

"but do you _like _like me?"

"I find your repetition of the word _"like" _unappealing," Jemima stated, ignoring his question entirely, "I find it gives off a rather pungent uneducated smell."

"Did you just call him stupid?" Kitty asked,

"no," the Welsh girl stated, "and if you had a significantly higher IQ you might have been able to distinguish between calling him stupid, which I did not and saying that his repetition of _like_, gives an air of illiteracy."

"Why do I even put up with you?" Johnny questioned,

"because she," Jemima replied, signalling towards Kitty, "dumped you."

Xxx

"Are you ok?" Rick asked, putting his arm round his girlfriend.

"I've just been," Erin looked up at her boyfriend, "thinking."

"About?" He asked, and waited for a couple of seconds till he realised he wasn't going to get a response. "The baby," he stated, she nodded very slightly. "So have I," he admitted, before smiling.

"What is it?" his girlfriend asked,

"earlier," he said, "when you were buying doughnuts, I went to a different store and bought something... for the baby."

Erin gasped, as Rick pulled out the baby grow. "Read what it says," he told her, passing it.

"I'm Cute," Erin read out, "My Mum's Cute, My Dad's Lucky."

"It will be very true," Rick said.

"I love you," Erin told him, before kissing him.

"Love you too," he replied.

Xxx

"Merry Christmas," someone shouted at Jemima, Johnny and Kitty who were making their way through the town, back to the car park where they were set to meet.

"Happy Winter Solstice," Jemima yelled back at them, as she lead the group, head held high, walking at 6.5 kilometres per hour.

While Johnny and Kitty hung back, not deliberately but because there seemed little point in speed walking when they had plenty of time to get back to the minibus.

"Hey," they heard Faith shout, and they paused to let her and Frank catch up with them, "did you have a good day?" she asked smiling.

"It was pretty good," Johnny admitted, "but..." he trailed off.

"But..." Faith echoed,

"what is it mate?" Frank asked.

"Jemima was acting like a right weirdo," Kitty told them. "Talking about how she thought Johnny was stupid and love wasn't real."

"She said that you were stupid?" Faith questioned, turning to Johnny, her grip tightening on her crutches.

"No," he replied, "she just implied that my speaking style sounded uneducated."

"She didn't imply it," Kitty snapped back, "she said it."

"That isn't right," Faith replied,

"no it isn't," Kitty agreed, "and it isn't true, she's just comparing Johnny to herself, and is forgetting that she isn't normal, and calling Johnny stupid because he isn't overly pedantic."

Kitty made sure she placed an extraordinary amount of emphasis on the word _pedantic_, the way a person does when they learn a new word that never even imagined learning. Or in the case to highlight that neither herself or Johnny were stupid; an argument which would have been more successful if she hadn't misunderstood the meaning of the word, which consequently meant that she misused that word.

However, Jemima wasn't within hearing distance, so fortunately didn't pick up on this mistake, which was good because of how incredibly vocal the Welsh girl was when it came to grammar, and word misuse. To the extent that she had (on multiple occasions) corrected strangers on their grammar, and Gina now refused to take Jemima food shopping with her, after the girl had started a fight in Tesco. Telling a group of hooded youths that they hadn't "literally died" but had instead "figuratively died," who replied, with something along the lines of "we will _literally _kill you."

When the Police was called, the hooded youths claimed that it had been a provoked attack. And Jemima declared it wasn't her fault that she was an "insufferable pedantic bastard."

Who, unlike Kitty, had used the word _pedantic _correctly.

Xxx

"Sam, you are holding my hand," Ari pointed out,

"it's Christmas," Sam told her,

"but you're not out..."  
"who cares Ari?" Sam questioned, because who did care? Not her; at that point in time she couldn't care less who saw her walking down the main street, holding hands with her best friend.

"Ok," Ari replied, relaxing her hand slightly and letting their fingers entwine. "I've never done this before," she admitted,

"hold hands?" Sam asked,

"not in public,"

"really? I thought there were a couple of girls..."

"before Symphony..." Ari paused, "I went to a couple of parties, passed for older, snogged..."  
"who the hell says _snog_?"

"Snogged a couple of girls," the Chinese girl continued. "Never made another longer than a couple of kisses. To be honest, I never saw most of them again anyway."

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" Sam asked,

"what? Walking down the street, holding hands with a beautiful girl? No," she replied, "it's makes me happy."

The two girls walked a few more paces in silence, before Sam broke it, "it makes me happy too but so do pancakes," she added, pulling Ari into the queue for the crepe store.

"Why are those girls holding hands?" a little boy asked his mother who joined the queue behind them.

"They're friends," his Mum explained, Ari and Sam took one look at each other.

"Babes, what did I say about UKIP?" Sam asked, resting her hand on Ari's back,

"I can't believe they turned me down," she replied, "I would be a great MP."

"Yes babes," the blonde said, pulling the Chinese girl forward and into a kiss.

"Mummy, why are the girls kissing each other?" the boy questioned,

"um...

"is it because they're friends?" He asked, he paused for a second, "am I meant to kiss my friends? Should I kiss Darren?"

"No you can't kiss Darren," the mother exploded,

"what about Aaron?"

"You are not allowed to kiss boys," his Mum told him.

"But Aaron and Darren are my best friends,"  
"Edward, boys should only kiss girls."

"Why?" Edward demanded,

"because girls are better kissers," Ari told him, kissing Sam's cheek.

"I will not have you spreading homosexual propaganda to my son," the Mother hissed.

"Sweetie," Ari said, pausing, to be _very _deliberately look the woman up and down, "this is England. We have a freedom of speech, and of expression, especially when it comes to who we love."

"I don't want my son to be exposed to this..." she hissed,

"According to Kinsey there's a one in ten chance your son is gay, so maybe you should try and be a little more accepting, just in case he is," Ari replied.

"My son lives in a very Christian home, he will not turn out like you Satan worshippers..."

"we're not Satan worshippers, we only worship the good and the hot; like Kristen Stewart, and the Gay Women of the Unsolicited Project, and Tatiana Maslany," Sam pointed out.

"You people disgust me," the Mother snapped,

"the feeling is mutual," Sam replied.

"Baby, do you really want pancakes?" Ari asked, "or would you rather eat out?" she said, taking a step closer to Sam.

"Babes, I think I need some pancakes for energy," Sam stated, she turned to the woman, "I mean it's no fun if it's only once."

"But surely you should have salty before you have sweet," Arietta pointed out. Sam paused,

"you make a good point babes," Sam replied, before kissing Ari, "let's come back later."

"Thank God," the woman muttered,

"hopefully," Ari said, turning to her, "you learn to love thy neighbour. Otherwise we'll see you in hell."

Xxx

It was 7 by the time to crowded minibus, reached Elmtree.

"Mike, I'll walk Sam back," Ari called,

"she only lives next door," Harry pointed out.

"Well, I'll be quick then," the Chinese girl replied.

The two girls walked away from the group, "what has changed your opinion?" Ari asked, Sam looked confused, "about being out," she elaborated.

"Well..." Sam started, "being in the closet won't stop me from being gay, and you're out too so I know that I'll always have another friend to be gay with and..." she paused, "I would rather be out, than pretend to be straight and see you with _Lana Revol_," Sam declared, spitting out the name.

"Ooh, Samantha Carter, out and getting territorial," Arietta said,

"well, babes, I am a lesbian," Sam replied, kissing her. Ari pulled away,

"yes, you're a lesbian," Ari whispered, hand on Sam's face, "my lesbian."

**Right, this is chapter 40, this is the point where my story hits 100,000 words, making it the longest story I have ever written, and this is the point where Sarietta Postbox goes canon.**

**And considering I wrote this story just to get the two of them together, it makes it quite impressive that they only just got together.**

**Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon, preferably before Christmas but if isn't;**

**Merry Christmas, please review.**

**Please review because I think the 4000 words in this chapter are worth it.**


	41. A Little Bit Closer

**Chapter 41**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

"I am sick," Ari announced, on the morning of the 23rd, "of this feud."

Faith looked up from her revision, "between?"

"me and Erin," she replied, "I don't want an enemy, but I feel... I feel that I can't make things right between us, without explaining my past and..." Ari fiddled with her hair, while Faith sat patiently, "I don't want her sympathy. I want to get on with my life, not have her telling me how she _"understands" _and how she is "_sorry"." _

_Her sympathy won't bring back Mia,_ Arietta added mentally. _She'd just give me puppy eyes everywhere I go, and that is the last thing I need._

Faith twirled her pen, as she thought. "I think..." she paused, "maybe you should show her how you are ok that she is pregnant."

"But I'm not," Ari replied, pointing out the obvious, "I am sick of it being shoved in my face all the time, and if I show her I'm ok with it, then she'll do it even more and I can't deal with that possibility."

"So you want to stop the tension between you two, but not to get involved with Erin," Faith interpreted.

"More or less," she replied, "do you think that's impossible?"

"Ari, nothing is impossible unless you think it's impossible," Faith said,

"it's impossible."

Xxx

"Tee," Johnny called from the hallway, Tee pulled away from Tyler sighing. She pulled herself up and walked over to the door, before opening it.

"Yes Johnny," Tee said,

"can I speak to you in private?" he asked,

"ok," she replied, following her brother to his room.

"About you and Tyler..." Johnny started,

"yes," Tee said, "we like each other..."

"I just wanted to say..."

"Johnny. We are _just _kissing, I'm not going to get pregnant from kissing, and we are not going to do _that_, we're not stupid," Tee told him.

"Good to know," Johnny said, "because if you did, I would have to kill him."

"Well, you won't be killing anyone," his younger sister snapped back, she paused, crossed her arms, "can I leave?" she asked.

Her brother nodded, and watched his sister walk out of his room.

Xxx

Rick and Erin sat together on the beanbag in Rick's room, "my life has changed so much this year," Erin mused, "I've found people I can trust, someone who loves me..." she paused, the stroke the curve of her stomach, "and the baby."

"It feels like you've been living here forever," Rick replied,

"same," Erin admitted, then getting a thought and starting to count something on her fingers, then recounting. "I arrived here exactly 6 months ago today," she told him, eyes wide.

"We need to celebrate," Rick replied, "after all it 6 months since we first met."

Xxx

"We have 38 minutes before I have to leave your bed," Ari told Sam, snuggling up to her girlfriend.

"Do you have to?" Sam asked, smoothing Ari's hair.

"Yes, me and Faith are going shopping," she replied,

"well, I see how it is," the blonde spat, turning her back to Ari, "leaving me for _Faith." _

"Faith isn't my type," Ari replied, putting her hand on Sam's arm, before leaning in to whisper in Sam's ear, "she's too straight, and not even half as gorgeous as you."

"You, however, are incredibly bias, and what Jemima would call an _"unreliable resource_",_"_ Sam told her, rolling back over to face Ari, "so I find it hard to believe that I am twice as gorgeous as Faith."

Before Ari could reply, there was a knock on Sam's bedroom door,

"is it safe to come in?" Lynne called through the door,

"yes," Ari yelled back, but even so, Lynne very gradually opened the door, as if expecting to find a scene from 50 Shades of Grey.

Arietta jumped out of the bed, and fully opened the door. "Fully clothed," she told Lynne, pointing at her clothes.

"That's good," Lynne replied, "gingerbread man?" she asked Ari, offering her the plate of biscuits.

"Any gingerbread women?" the Chinese girl questioned, "because I don't want to put a man in my mouth."

Sam snorted, but dragged herself from her bed to look at the biscuits. "She's a girl," she declared, pointing at a biscuit, "just wearing trousers, and that one,"

"and that one," Ari added, pointing.

"Well this one is a man," Lynne said, picking up one of the biscuits and taking a bite, while Ari wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Eww," Sam just told her Grandmother, shaking her head, "just... eww."

Xxx

"Sorry I'm late," Ari apologized,

"Sam?" Faith guessed,

"how did you work that out?" Ari exclaimed, sarcasm dripping from her words.

"I must be psychic or something," she replied.

"It's very impressive, you should go on Britain's Got Talent," the younger girl told her, flicking her hair over her shoulder, "and you would be sure to win, because Britain has NO talent."

"Are you implying that my amazing psychic ability would only win, because the good people have already won?!"

"Let me think about that," Arietta said, pausing for a moment, as if in deep consideration. "Yes."

"How dare you," Faith replied, in mock disgust. When Faith got no reply, she turned in confusion to Ari, who had been silenced by the arrival.

"You don't have to do this Ari," Faith told her,

"yes I do," Ari replied, she took a deep breath. And another. "I might as well get this over and done with."

Xxx

Jemima Anderson couldn't comprehend the data she had collated; it was inclusive.

It didn't give her the definitive answer she was looking for, it didn't give her an explanation.

It just left her with a messy floor and the feeling that she was falling apart.

She could already feel her life starting to spin out of her control, she could hear the smash of glass ringing in her eyes.

Everything sound was too loud, everything she saw was too unfocused, the colours too bright, the shades she could usually distinguish between, blurring together.

She couldn't think. Her brain waves were being drowned out, by her confusion and her inability to hold herself together.

She needed order, and everything was mess. Everyone was mess. Everything was disorganised. Everything was wrong. It was out of her control. The world was spinning. The glass smashing was too loud. She couldn't focus. She couldn't make a noise. Everything was just wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Mess. Order. She needed order. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

She grabbed her pen, and a sheet of paper.

She tried to write. Her words sloped, and fell off the lines, the letters danced in her vision; taunting her.

Her hands shook, making the words almost unreadable; Messy. Messy. Messy.

She threw the pen across the room.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Everything was too loud, too harsh, too extreme.

She stood up, unable to get her balance, and threw herself onto her bed. Shoved her head under her pillow.

All she could hear was the smashing. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

She tried to count the smashes but it was impossible, she was unable to focus, unable to grab the rope of reality, unable to hang on.

So she just lay there, in a pool of her own tears, waiting until she could get a grip on reality.

Xxx

"Mike," Rick said, opening the office door.

"Ah Rick come in," Mike replied, taking his glasses off. Rick walked in, and closed the door behind him.

"I was wondering if we could through Erin a party, because she arrived at the dumping ground six months ago today," he said.

"Another party?" Mike asked, "it is only two days until Christmas," he pointed out.

"But surely we should celebrate stuff that is important, and this is important," Rick reminded him.

"Ok," Mike agreed, "but if you want food, you either buy it with your own money, or use what we have in the cupboard."

"Thanks Mike," Rick shouted, sprinting out of the Office.

Xxx

As soon as Arietta stepped over the threshold of the shop, she knew her time was limited. She know it wouldn't take long for it to become too much.

So she made her way over to the back of the shop, where they kept the baby stuff, and Faith followed her.

The screaming of the babies, resonated with the loss that hid under the layers of Arietta, it brought to the surface the memory and the pain, that she usually was able to bury, until they were dredged up by the December rains.

"Ari," Faith said, pulling her out the muddied hole of her mind.

Ari looked at all the sleep suits, all adorable, and all bigger than the tiny weight, of the premature Mia. Her baby girl, who would nearly be a year old, but would never be one.

Would never blow out the candles on her birthday cake, would never rip off all the wrapping paper on her presents. The lost girl, who would never laugh, or cry. Who would only live on in the deepest memories of her Mother.

Instead of buying her daughter a Christmas present, or a birthday present, Ari was standing in the shop, shopping for a girl whose childish whining constantly grated on Arietta's nerves. Simply because that whining child, was getting everything that Ari would never have, and for some foolish, and unexplainable reason Ari was rewarding her for that.

No.

There was a reason.

It wasn't for Erin's benefit. It was for Ari's.

So she could tell herself that she didn't care, that she moved on. Telling herself that she didn't feel, someone digging their incisors into wall of her stomach every time that she thought about her daughter. And every time she thought about Erin's child.

And every time she saw what she had lost, whether in the arms of a stranger, or in an advert it was a staggering blow to the stomach, but she was allowed to release that pain through crying, screaming, shouting. Instead she had to internalize, until it destroyed her,

"Buy the bear one," Ari commanded Faith, as she felt the pain physically start to resurface, "I'll pay you back," and with that the Chinese girl sprinted out of the shop, and to the toilets. Where she was messily sick, but even though it was out, she could still feel the internal pain burning away.

Xxx

Everyone seemed excited about the prospect of having another party, and Jemima had finally returned from the depths of her bedroom to organise it.

Frank and Tyler had agreed to organise the music, and everyone else was working on food, or putting up even more Christmas decorations.

"No Mo, those paper chains are specifically for the stairs!" Jemima yelled, "no Tee, put that back that is completely impractical. Harry is not an angel or a star, so get him off the Christmas Tree!"

And as Jemima barked orders, she started to feel slightly more in control, because even if she was a complete mess, she could still tidy up the others. A small relief, in the dark caverns of her head.

"Faith and Ari are back," Jody informed the Welsh commander, who jumped off her perch and went to give her returned workers a tongue-lashing.

Xxx

"Do I have to do this?" Ari asked Sam,

"babes, I am only here because of you," Sam replied.

"You only live next door," she pointed out, crossing her arms.

"I could have been watching Orange Is The New Black," the blonde reminded her, Ari simply pouted, "will I have to dress you?" Sam questioned. Ari didn't reply.

The blonde opened Ari's wardrobe, "right," she grabbed the first dress she saw, "purple dress,"

"no!" Ari exclaimed, "that's way too nice. I'll wear the Christmas jumper, with the skater skirt."

Sam smirked, "shut up," Ari declared, as she started to get changed, while Sam started reading a random book on music theory.

"No," Ari told Sam, who went to kiss her, "I haven't done my makeup yet."

"Precisely," Sam replied, "I'm kissing you before you put that lipstick on, and I end up covered in it."

"Sam, I'm a lipstick lesbian, and I don't believe in being half-hearted, so you either get lipstick lesbian or no lesbian," Ari said, standing in front of the mirror, doing her mascara.

While Sam stood next to her, smoothing her (unusually) neat hair. "And I dress up, and she refuses to kiss me," she muttered,

"yeah, I meant to say, I like the bow-tie. Especially paired with that shirt," Ari replied,

"Nonno lent me the bow-tie, but only because I was going to see you. If I was just going out and about, he wouldn't have let me have it. Nonno just thinks you are some kind of goddess."

"Are you saying that I'm not a goddess?" Ari questioned, fixing Sam with a ferocious (but some how still playful) look.

"Arietta, you're a human, but a very gay one," Sam told her, "so consequently very gorgeous."

"Thank you Sweetie, and..." Ari paused, looking Sam up and down, "ditto."

Xxx

Everyone was laughing, and dancing, and singing, whenever they knew the words to the really odd music that Tyler and Frank had put on.

Kitty has amazed everyone, by the fact that she could dance, unlike everyone else who bobbed and put random moves to the beat.

Then the music thudded to a stop, "speech," Tyler yelled,

"six months ago today I arrived here," Erin told the crowd, "I was scared, I thought you would all hate me, I thought you would all judge me but it was the complete opposite. I find a home for the first time in 14 years, and to go in that home, a family."

Everyone applauded, yelled, cheered.

"Now Rock on," she shouted, turning the music back on.

"Jem," Johnny said, the younger girl looked up from her notebook, "I was wondering..." he was cut off, by the Welsh girl forcibly kissing him.

After a couple of seconds he pulled away, "I was going to ask to get past," he admitted, "but I'm not complaining," Jem laughed,

"want to dance?" she asked.

Meanwhile on the other side of the Sam, Ari and Kitty were talking.

"What happened to being straight?" Kitty questioned,

"I have spent so many years pretending to be someone else, it's time to be me," Sam replied, smiling, arm round Ari's waist.

When suddenly a familiar song came on,

"wasn't this the song, you did karaoke to?" Kitty asked the couple,

"yes," Ari replied, before pulling Sam away from the younger girl to dance.

This time it wasn't just Ari and Sam leaping round the living room, they all were.

Having fun and being themselves.

Being a little bit closer.

**Another chapter done.**

**Are you surprised? I am.**

**I can't wait to read your reviews.**

**Merry Christmas if I don't upload before Christmas, but hopefully I will do.**

**Btw when writing Jemima's falling apart scene, I was listening to Antidote by the Swedish House Mafia, which I think captured how she was feeling quite well.**

**And in the dancing scene, they were dancing to Closer by Tegan and Sara.**

**Please Review xxx**


	42. Merry Christmas Eve

**Chapter 42**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

Christmas Eve is one of those days, where kids are excited about the presents of the next day, and adults are stressed about the food, the presents, the decorations, the tree, the cat.

For the Dumping Ground kids there was excitement, but there was also a massive fight going on over the wrapping paper, because Jemima had calculated (down to the last millimetre) how much paper, people would need. However, some people had given the Welsh girl incorrect measurements of their presents. So consequently the paper, that Jemima had spent many hours perfecting was useless.

Then there were the arguments about which Christmas music they were going to listen to, with Ari vetoing classical music, while everyone else fought their corner, with more "normal" music, like Shakin' Stevens, and Mariah Carey.

Unsurprisingly Ari lost, she didn't really mind, because she loved Christmas music, it made her think of her first Christmas. Christmas 2008. She had been 9, and she remembered the delight of seeing the Christmas lights, and getting presents, and eating mountainous piles of food, dancing to the songs playing on the radio, then lying on Symphony's bed watching all the Christmas television. A polar opposite of her life in China, and she loved it.

Loved the freedom, loved how clean London was in comparison to Beijing, loved how she didn't have to be afraid of poisoning her lungs with the city smog.

For many others in the dumping ground, it would be their first Christmas of safety.

It was Erin's first Christmas away from her parents, it was Sam's first Christmas with a loving family since 2002, and it was Mo's first Christmas inside a house.

And they weren't the only firsts in the care kids lives, because for them change was inevitable, which consequently meant they struggled to get settled in one place, when they knew, hanging over them, was the chance that they would get moved. That's why they always threw themselves into Christmas, because it would a small snapshot to remind them of the people they used to call their family.

Since last Christmas, so much had changed, Sapphire had gotten a new flat and left, Faith had joined, so had Erin and Sam. Carmen left, then Elektra followed, then Arietta joined, then Jemima and Bailey. While Lily had slipped away, out of the dumping ground family.

The changing was why Tracy was taking pictures, capturing the moments, because she wanted to remember her last Christmas at Elmtree house, and that was also why she kept getting Mo to take group photos, with her in, on the Elmtree camera. So that the memories of her last Christmas there would be added to the scrap book.

The scrap book was something that had ended in Mike's possession, it contained documents, and pictures of children's homes dating back to the 50s, it had been passed from home to home, as more stuff was added. It had ended up at Stowey House in 90s, and then had been taken to Cliffside when the kids were relocated there, then finally to Elmtree House. Mike insistently made sure the book was looked after and kept up to date. He was consequently delighted when Tracy had asked to take pictures.

"Is that you?" Kitty asked, holding up that said scrap book, pointing at a picture of 12 year old Tracy.

"The one and only Tracy Beaker," Mike told them,

"your hair!" Everyone suddenly gathered round to see the pictures of Tracy.

"Wow," Ari said, "almost as good as my rainbow hair."

"When was this?" Erin questioned,

"Probably about 2002 or 2003," Tracy told them.

"That's what I thought," Ari replied, "the clothes everyone was wearing, were very Buffy."

"That's ages ago," Harry stated,

"not really," Faith told him, "I can remember bits of 2002 and 3. I would have been about 5 or 6 then."

"But you're old," Jody said.

"I can remember 2002," Ari informed them, "and I was 3."

"Yeah but you are weird," Jody told the Chinese girl.

"Your efficiency levels are minimal!" Jemima yelled, at the cluster of people. "Work!"

Xxx

The kitchen was full of people mixing, and measuring, and eating the mixture that they were meant to be cooking.

Thankfully Jemima wasn't there to scream about the multiple health and safety breaches, instead she was shouting at Tyler who decided all tinsel should be placed at knee length, across hallways, a convenient trip hazard.

Erin and Rick had managed to get their hands on mistletoe, and were hanging it in every available hallway.

So far Faith had had to kiss Jeff, Erin had had to kiss Rick, Rick had had to kiss Erin, and when Gina and Mike had walked under a piece together, Mike kissed Gina on the cheek, much to the amusement of the kids and Gina.

Most people were already planning non-mistletoe routes for their usual journeys, however Jody was using the mistletoe to her advantage, so she taken to carrying her cookie jar around, and whenever she walked under the mistletoe, she would take out a cookie, kiss it, then eat it.

"How is this festive?" Jemima yelled, pointing at the bunting which was hung in the kitchen.

"It is very 2012-y," Frank replied, looking sheepish.

"And it is 2013," the Welsh girl scolded, hands on hips, "not 2014."

"I like it," Tee said,

"it is a new twist," Faith added, her usual positivity shining through.

"Are we celebrating Christmas here?" Jemima demanded, "or reinventing it?"

"What's wrong with reinventing Christmas?" Johnny asked, "you said, that you thought Christmas was outdated, so surely reinventing it, and consequently modernising it would be in your best interests," Johnny said.

Jemima looked unimpressed by Johnny's outwitting of her,

"you just sounded like Jemima," Harry told him,

"Jem you are obviously a big influence on him," Faith stated,

"well influence is a good thing," Jemima replied, _it is a very powerful thing_, she added in her head, she looked up and found everyone watching her. "Take a break," she commanded, "eat some cake."

Then she walked from the room, escaping the crowded kitchen, giving herself a chance to breath.

"Jem," she heard Johnny yell, she carried on walking, and was only stopped by Johnny's hand on her arm. She turned around slowly, and suddenly she noticed that they were standing under some of Erin and Rick's mistletoe. She made a mental note, to add those two to her list of people who needed to be shouted at and the list about..."

"Jem," Johnny repeated, "we have to kiss," he told her,

"why?" she questioned,

"because," he paused, "that's just the tradition, that's what people do." He waited for a second, as if waiting for Jemima to understand, and start kissing him.

"No," Jemima replied, "people kissed under the mistletoe in the past, because it was apparently sent by the Gods to improve fertility, but I don't want to get pregnant," she explained.

"But Jemima you don't do stuff that isn't physical," Johnny stated, "so why does the idea of fertility bother you so much?"

"Because it is a tradition stemmed from a lie, so why should I take part in an outdated activity?"

"Would you kiss me if it wasn't for the mistletoe?" Johnny asked,

"walk away," Jemima told him, and he face dropped and he nodded, and took a step, then another, and another, and another, before he found himself being spun round at an extraordinary speed and being kissed by the Welsh girl.

He squeaked slightly and stumbled backwards, having been taken on unawares, his arm collided with something solid... the wall? Suddenly a loud noise went off and everyone started shouting, the two teens jumped apart and looked at where the fire alarm used to be.

Xxx

"This is mental!" Jody concluded,

"Mike there was no actual fire," Johnny pointed, "I just collided with the alarm."

"This is the standard procedure," Mike stated, "and maybe you'll learn a lesson from it, and Arietta Rosenberg where do you think you are going?"

"I just remembered that I promised Sam's Grandma that I was going to help," Ari lied,

"you are not getting out of this, that easily."

"But it wasn't me!" the Chinese girl exclaimed, "and I am so frozen, that I'm going to start singing let it go any second now."

"Mike, it's not good for the baby," Erin pointed out, deciding it was a good point to chip in, making Ari grit her teeth.

"There is no fire," Tee told him,

"it's happening again," Kitty said, eyes wide, clutching onto Rick's shirt.

"Why is there smoke coming from the kitchen?" Harry asked,

"shit, we left the cakes in the oven," Ari stated.

"Arietta, language!" Mike told her.

"Why are you so concerned with my language?" The Chinese questioned, "when there are bigger things to deal with, like the kitchen being on fucking fire."

"I don't like this," Kitty whimpered,

"the fire brigade will be here soon babes," Gina told the girl, in a small attempt to comfort the girl.

"I'm going to Sam's," Ari stated, and this time Mike didn't argue.

"Could I come too?" Tee asked,

"yeah I'm sure you can come," and next thing Mike knew, all the kids had disappeared off to Sam's house, apart from Jemima, who was waiting for the fire crew, so she could measure their efficiency.

Xxx

"Absolutely useless," Jemima repeated,

"I have to agree Dear," Lynne said, "another biscuit?" she offered, before the Welsh girl could continue her rant about incompetence of the fire crew.

"A drink?" Aldo asked Mike,

"it has been one of those days," Mike replied, agreeing to the tiniest measure of Sherry.

"You were very lucky that you've got me cooking for you tomorrow," he told Mike, "especially after that event with the fire brigade."

"Yes, definitely," Mike agreed, "we were so lucky it was only the cakes burning, and that there wasn't actually a fire. Well much of a fire."

Meanwhile on the other side of the lounge, Tee, Johnny, Faith and Rick attempted to play Twister, which was of course hilarious to watch, especially since even though Faith was on crutches she was still the most flexible of the bunch.

Sam, Ari and Kitty were sitting by the window, eating biscuits and people watching.

"Couple," Arietta guessed,

"no siblings," Kitty replied, "ok maybe not," she admitted, when they kissed.

"3 months," Sam added,

"ooh... controversial choice," Ari told her girlfriend, "I was gonna go for 2 years."

"No, she's WAY too dressed up for that," Kitty replied, "more like 6 months."

"Less than that," Sam stated, "they're not holding hands, and he keeps going to hold her hand, but then he decides not to, which suggests to me that it's really easy to hold hands. Look," she grabbed Ari's hand, "holding hands, easy."

"Do you think she is deliberately waiting outside the dumping ground?" Ari asked, gesturing towards a brunette woman with a pram.

Two minutes she was still standing there.

"Should we talk to her?" Sam asked, just as she said that the woman looked round, and caught them staring through the window. Immediately she grabbed the pram, and walked away as fast as she could.

"That was weird," Kitty stated,

"she's probably someone's Mum," the blonde replied.

"Mine, obviously," Ari said, flicking back her hair, "she was obviously an Asian Beauty like myself, a very white, bordering on British..." Arietta trailed off, "she wasn't my Mum."

"Obviously," Sam replied,

"racist," Arietta told her, she pulled her hand away from Sam, and flicked it back dramatically, "and no Sam, you can't hold my hand and..." she started to laugh, Kitty and Sam looked, then realised they were witnessing possibly the strangest game of Twister in human history.

Xxx

"So I told Elaine, if you are going to treat me like that, I'm going to call social services," Tracy said, "so I called social services, and Elaine picked up."

"That's hilarious," Rick told Tracy,

"I was in an Elaine the Pain prison," Tracy told them all,

"she sounded like a fun social worker," Johnny said sarcastically,

"absolutely the best," Tracy replied, voice flat.

"Right, that's enough with the stories," Mike declared, "it would probably be our time to get back."

Aldo led them to the door, "see you tomorrow," he called after them,

"Ari," Mike said, noticing the Chinese girl was still standing in the hall.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," she replied,

"you have five minutes," he told her, tone stern.

The door closed, and there was silence in the hallway for a moment.

"Can you look over the presents," Lynne asked,

"absolutely," Ari replied, going in the study and looking out the presents Lynne and Sam had picked out for the people at the dumping ground. "I think these are good choices," she replied finally.

Sam was stood in the corner waiting, "Ari, can you help me too."

"What is it?" Ari questioned, the blonde said nothing, instead dragged her girlfriend up the stairs, and then pulled her into the room.

Sam sprinted over to her bed and pulled out a small jewellery box, and passed it to Ari.

"I know we are lesbians," Ari replied, "but this is a bit early for a proposal."

"It's for Grandma," Sam said, slapping her girlfriend's arm, and opening up the box to reveal a pair of diamond earrings, "do you think she'll like them?" She asked worried, nibbling her lip slightly.

"Sam, sweetie," Ari started, "Lynne is a woman, of course she'll like them, in fact she'll love them and that's a promise. A postbox promise."

"What is a postbox promise?" Sam asked, laughing.

"The best kind of promise," Ari replied, brushing back Sam's hair before kissing her, "I've got to go, Mike seemed very definite about 5 minutes."

The two girls wandered down the stairs, "surprised to see you two that soon," Nonno commented,

"Nonno," Sam cried, laughing.

"What can I say," Ari replied, raising her hands in the air, "I'm just so good."

Aldo just laughed, and retreated back into the kitchen.

"See you tomorrow," Sam told Ari, as she opened the door.

"Merry Christmas Eve," Ari replied,

"Merry Christmas Eve," the blonde repeated.

**A bit of a shorter chapter, but still... 3 updates in 3 days I deserve a medal.**

**Anyway please review, because reviews make me happy.**

**And if this is my last upload before Christmas:**

**Merry Christmas**


	43. Merry Christmas

**Chapter 43**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7**

**This chapter will be either rushed or short, so I apologise in advance.**

**Merry Christmas**

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,  
Not a creature was stirring, apart from Ari.

Well technically it wasn't the night before Christmas, because according to her phone it was the Wednesday the 25th December 2013. But according to society (and Mike) it wasn't Christmas yet, and she was expected to lie in bed for another 3 hours, 17 minutes and 25 seconds. 24 seconds. 23 seconds.

Since they weren't allowed to get out of bed until 6 in the morning, which was later than usual for Ari due to her irregular sleeping patterns. But now she was forced to stay in bed, counting down the seconds until she could:

A. text Sam, who declared Ari was not allowed to text her before 6.

B. dance round the halls, singing Christmas songs

C. eat chocolate for breakfast

D. celebrate Christmas

E. force Jemima to dress up

F. dress herself up

G. focus on somebody else

Because lying there, in the silent night, her mind couldn't help but wander, consider all the what ifs: What if Mia was still alive? What if Symphony was still alive? What if Anne Widdecombe had won Strictly Come Dancing?

All the possibilities that could happen. All possibilities that did not happen.

Ari sighed, and flicked on the lamp by her bed, which illuminated her clock: 2:45 AM.

The Chinese girl groaned, and slumped down into her bed.

She lay there for a second, wondering if it was too early to get changed and do her makeup, before deciding that while she was a diva, even she could not waste 3 hours doing her makeup. But surely doing her makeup was more productive, than staring relentlessly at the ceiling.

Her mind quickly formulated a plan, and before her body had consented, she was out of bed: pulling on jeans, and a Christmas jumper, and a jacket, plus her converse trainers.

She quickly brushed and plaited her hair.

2:49 AM.

Arietta took a deep breath, and her phone, and her keys, and a small box, then exited her bedroom and started to make her way downstairs.

Before she found herself caught in a spot light, "you're not meant to be out of bed," Jemima told her, hands on hips.

"Neither are you," Ari reminded,

"what are you doing?" the Welsh girl questioned.

"Going out, want to come?"

Jemima paused, "technically my schedule is free," she admitted,

"well I'm going regardless," Ari told her.

"I'll come," Jem decided, "not because I want to, but because it would be irresponsible to let you go out into the dark night alone."

Xxx

"What shall we do?" Jemima asked,

"no idea," Ari replied,

"then why did you want to go out?" the welsh girl questioned, baffled, _why would you do something with no purpose?_

"I was bored," Ari admitted, "of lying in bed, I thought a walk was more productive."

"What's the box?" Jem asked,

"it's... oh," Ari looked down, stroking the box in her hand, "it's for Robbie, but I have no idea how I'm going to get it to him, since anything that comes through the letter box is confiscated by his dad."

"This was the right job for me," the welsh girl replied, "actually it wasn't, this is stuff of amateurs."

"What do we do?" Arietta replied, dodging, to let 2 drunk girls_, _coming back from a Christmas party, stagger past her.

"Go to his window,"

"Jem, slightly illegal,"

"It's only illegal if you get caught,"

"considering your foster mum was a lawyer, you have a serious disregard for the law,"

"not disregard," Jemima corrected, "I just believe the law is more precautionary, than it is set in stone."

"Not how it works..."  
"for you maybe," she interrupted, "but not for me. Which house does Robbie live at?"

"16, but Jem..." Ari bit her lip, "are you sure this is the right thing to do?"

"Ok, if you're going to worry soooo much," Jemima declared, "I'll do it for you."

"His room is at the back of the house," Ari replied, Jem grabbed the box from Ari's hands and pulled a grip, from her hair, and with that Jemima had climbed onto the wall of the house, and then had fearlessly climbed onto the roof.

Suddenly Ari heard the voices, of people who were undoubtedly Policemen. Jemima with her bat-like hearing lay down on the roof, while Ari shoved up her sleeves, and put on a confident grin.

"Bit late to be out by yourself," one of the policemen told Ari,

"yeah," Ari replied, "and I'm cooking tomorrow, well helping to anyway," she said laughing,

"how many?" the other man asked.

"About 20," the Chinese girl said, "I've got a big family."

"Well have a good Christmas," the first man said,

"you too," Ari replied, and watched as the Police carried on.

Jemima counted to 20 before scampering up to Robbie's window, and using Ari's hair grip to pick the lock, then opening the window, placing the present on the sill, closing and locking the window, and a minute later the two girls were on their way.

"How did you learn that?" Ari asked,

"my school," Jemima told her, "well... not all of it, and they didn't actually teach us that sort of stuff but I learnt anyway."  
"How?" the Chinese girl repeated.

"Well, when I first started people decided that I was of an inferior race, and one girl decided to through my school bag onto the roof, so I climbed up and got it. So she got my phone confiscated, so I broke into the teacher's office and got it back, and put her phone in the teacher's safe instead. Then some older girls had heard what I had done, so paid me to break into a different teacher's office and retrieve their confiscated phones. Then next thing I know everyone was paying me for favours: to hack the teacher's areas for exam answers, to frame another student, to have their name removed from detention, to change their grades on their report card," Jemima explained,

"what happened?" Ari said,

"nothing," she replied, "the teachers never found the culprit, and because I was on a year 7 and 8, no one even considered that I was capable of theft, and hacking the computer and CCTV systems."

"Impressive,"

"not really," Jemima replied, "anyone can steal,"

"I doubt I could," Ari stated,

"you have too many morals," the welsh girl replied, "get rid of them and you'd be fine."

"Thank you Jemima," the Chinese girl said, "for that insightful comment."

Xxx

By the time the two girls made it back to the Dumping Ground there was only 1 hour, 13 minutes, 36 seconds to wait.

And, according to Ari, 1 hour, 13 minutes and 36 seconds, was an acceptable amount of time to spend getting ready.

"Why did I agree to this?" Jemima moaned,

"you had no choice," Ari replied,

"I can't wear this dress, it is completely impractical."

"Yeah, but it's super cute, so your point is invalid," the Chinese girl told her, "and looks annoyingly good on you," she added, when she stepped back to admire the dress on Jem. "God, I miss having boobs and hips," she muttered, "and I would seriously injure to be 5'6."

"It's only a height," Jemima reminded her, "and I don't see how serious injury would make you 4 inches shorter."

"Johnny is going to drop dead when he sees you," Ari commented, as she started to do make up for Jemima.

"Well, he better not see me then," Jemima replied, "because I'm not in necrophilia." She attempted to stand up, but Ari shoved her back down.

"Good to know," Ari commented, "glad to know, that sort of thing doesn't flick your switch."

Xxx

"IT'S CHRISTMAS!" Mo yelled, as he ran down the hallway, waking Erin up, who took a brief moment to appreciate that her boyfriend was lying next to her, before waking him up.

"Wha...?" Rick asked,

"it's Christmas!" Erin exclaimed, jumping out of bed and dragging her boyfriend with her.

They sprinted out into the hall, and down the stairs, into the lounge where everyone was opening their stocking.

"Yeah orange," Ari declared,

"Clementine," Jemima corrected, Ari ignored her, too busy taking pictures for her Instagram.

"Chocolate treasure!" Mo shouted, flinging a handful of chocolate coins into the air.

"Why are you two dressed?" Faith asked, Jem and Ari.

"We woke up early," Ari explained, before going back into her stocking.

"A new notebook," Jem commented, examining it, "this has 50 pages less than last year," she declared, and immediately jumped up, to find some paper, to write a letter of complaint to the manufacturers.

"6 AM and Jem is already complaining," Kitty stated,

"and they say the English are bad," Johnny added.

Xxx

"Ari, Tyler and Faith, you have delegated to Aldo's kitchen, Erin, Rick, Johnny, Frank, you will be helping in the Elmtree kitchen, Harry go to the quiet room, Kitty will explain what you need to do, right troops move, we have a schedule, that needs to be adhered to," Jemima yelled, clearly enjoying herself.

She was the commander of the army, and they were her soldiers of potato peeling, and carrot peeling, and parsnip peeling, and chopping, and making source, and laying the table, and decorations.

"Merry Christmas," Ari declared, when Sam finally joined them in the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas," Sam replied, pecking Ari quickly on the lips.

"Slacking!" Jemima shouted, jumping from the shadows, and stamping both Ari and Sam on the hand, with her red permanent marker stamp, "every time you get a stamp, you lose a proportion of your food," she explained, then strutted from the room.

"How did she get there?" Aldo asked, looking very confused.

"Absolutely no idea Nonno," Sam replied.

Xxx

Amazingly everything went to schedule, and at 1'o'clock, on the dot, they all sat down to eat Christmas dinner, apart from Erin and Rick, who had empty plates, because Jemima had refused to feed them, since they had gotten so many "slacking stamps" that they had lost all of their food.

And Jemima was taken it very seriously, threatening to sue Mike if he breeched the rules she had set, and Mike had been forced to resort to bribery to stop the Welsh girl.

But apart from that little incident Christmas dinner had gone pretty smoothly, unusually smoothly considering it was the dumping ground.

Xxx

It was nearly tea time by the time everyone had opened all their presents, well apart from the one present that they had gotten missed off.  
"To Erin and Rick, From Arietta," Harry read, passing the package to Erin.

Erin looked confused, but still ripped off the paper and found herself holding the sleep suit.

"I got it to say sorry," Ari told her, even though she couldn't remember, what _she _had to say sorry for, "and to say truce...?"

"This is perfect for Mia," Erin told Ari, whose eyes darkened.

"You can't call her that," Ari replied, barely able to conceal the anger in her voice.

"I can, and I will, call her Mia," Erin snapped back, then pausing for a second, then throwing the sleep suit back in Arietta's face. "And I don't want MY daughter using junk given to me, by filth like you!" She shouted.

Arietta jumped up, unsure of whether she was going to retaliate or cry or run away.

Sam started stand up, not to start a fight, but to get Ari away from Erin.

But before she could an unlucky ally sprung from the crowd.

"You," Kitty shouted at Erin, "can back off, and Ari," she said, turning to the older girl, "stop trying, stop wasting your time on people like _her_, because Erin does not deserve your time, and to be honest any of our time if she is just going to throw our presents, back in our faces."

"You're meant to be my friend," Erin declared,

"so was Sam," Kitty replied, "and you abandoned her in Thorpe Park, and me I was always just a bloody replacement. Never good enough for you, and always considered second prize. So here's your Christmas present Erin Walker; the truth, you need to get off your high horse, and stop acting like you are better than people, and you might find that you have friends again."

"Did I miss something?" Aldo asked, walking into the room carrying a bottle of wine, Lynne just shook her head at her husband's antics.

The entire Dumping Ground sat in an awkward silence.

"Anyone want to play Twister?" Faith asked, and suddenly it was Christmas again, and awkwardness had vanished, and only happiness remained.

And most of the dumping ground of the residents.

Most of, only because Johnny and Jemima had gone to collect data about the mistletoe.

**Merry Christmas**


	44. You Are NOT Invited

**Chapter 44 **

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Epicfanfictiongirl for reviewing**

**Sorry for lack of updates but A. Christmas and B. Revision, sorry that this is the first update of the year, I will try and update as soon as possible but when I go back to school I have mocks for two weeks so revision is kinda urgent.**

The days after Christmas zoomed back, days upon days of television, and chocolate, and pyjamas, and occasional revising from some people, (even though the fate of their school was still undecided).

New Year's Eve struck, and the younger ones were sent to bed and the older ones stayed up till midnight, and sung their way into 2014, and Tyler made it painfully obvious that he didn't know the words to Auld Lang Syne, very few of the others did, but they were able to mask it; unlike Tyler who insisted on singing "_chicken_" in replacement for every time he didn't know a word, which was every time the words weren't _"Auld Lang Syne_."

"Happy new year," everyone yelled, and they started hugging each other.

"Happy birthday," Jemima whispered to Ari, as she hugged her (uncharacteristically for the Welsh girl, because she found the idea of unnecessary human contact a waste of time, unless if they were trying to get into the bed, of said human, and since Jemima didn't feel that way about Ari, or any... well... most of them. It was incredible that she was being so... physical.)

"Thanks," Ari replied, the two girls stepping away from the hugging marathon.

"Are you going to inform them?" Jem asked, gesturing in the direction of the group.

"In the morning," the Chinese girl told her.

"It is techni..."

"it's too late for your technicalities," Ari informed her, "I'll tell them at breakfast... probably..."

"You should be definite," she said solidly, "you should have devised a plan."

"I'm telling them it's my birthday, not taking on a squat team,"

"SWAT team," Jemima corrected,

"whatever, anything goes," Arietta told her, "I'm too tired to care." She turned to face the main group (who mostly had their back to her), "night," she yelled, and as she left, she heard a chorus of "good nights" follow her.

Xxx

The next morning, (though, as Jemima frequently reminded Mike, it was creeping into afternoon territory) everyone, was lounging round the house in pyjamas (apart from Ari, who was in shower so evidently not in her pyjamas, because, as Jemima would put it, that would be uneconomical). Rick and Erin were holed in Rick's room, and he was strumming his guitar while Erin was drawing a picture of a girl, who had coincidently had a 50/50 mix of her and Rick's attributes, when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," Rick yelled, not looking up,

"hi Harry," Erin said, to the small blonde haired boy.

"There's a lady at the gate wanting to talk to Rick," he told them, "she said not to tell Mike."

Rick jumped up, slamming his guitar onto his bed and pulling on his trainers.

"Who is it?" Erin asked,

"no idea," he replied, as if he went out of his room and she followed him.

The two teens hurried down the stairs, they rushed to the door and... "where do you think you're going!" Gina yelled,

"for a walk," Rick told her, quickly. Gina gave him a look, one of those looks, asking Rick why he was even bothering to lie, but before she could question them further Frank showed up, to inform Gina (who promptly hurried off) of the fight, that had started between Bailey and Johnny.

They hurried down the drive, when Rick froze when he saw who it was.

"Rick," she said, running up to hug him, "my darling boy,"

"Mum," he replied, stunned as he took a step back, "we should get out of here," he told her, steering her out of the gate, and towards the park, with Erin on their heels.

Xxx

"He started it!" Johnny yelled,

"it was him!" Bailey shouted back, pushing Johnny as he did so, who in return pushed Bailey, and before Bailey could retaliate Mike grabbed him, and Tracy grabbed Johnny, while Gina surveyed the rest of the kids.

"He started it," Bailey muttered, suddenly the lounge burst into a cacophony of noise, as all the kids started shouting their versions of the story, so loud that Gina's shouting, was unheard over the racket. But the shrill blow of a whistle, courtesy of Jemima (who had somehow made her way across the room, and onto the top of the pool table without anyone noticing).

"12:43," she declared, studying the notebook and then the room, "Bailey entered the room, in a manner that could only be described as moody and aggressive. Johnny commented on this, and Bailey snapped back in reply. Then they were quiet and watched the television, for approximately 6 minutes 52.3 seconds, sorry I couldn't be more precise, when Bailey wanted to change channel, however Johnny disagreed, and which point, I attempted to stage an intervention, and I took a vote of people's opinion on the matter of which channel they wanted to watch, and the results were..."

"Jemima, I hate to cut you off," Mike started,

"well, don't then," she replied, "the results were..."

"How about you tell us all about it in the office," Tracy said, steering the welsh girl out of the room, much to the relief of the others, and horror of Tracy, when she realised, what she had gotten herself into.

Xxx

"Who is this?" Rick's Mum asked,

"this is my girlfriend, Erin," Rick replied,

"girlfriend?" She stated, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Nice to meet you... um... Mrs Barber?" Erin said,

"Lisa," she said, eyes barely gliding over Erin, before turning back to her soon, "aren't you a bit young for girlfriend."

"Mum, I'm 14," Rick pointed out,

"well long as you don't get her pregnant..." Lisa trailed off, as she saw her son's face, "no. You didn't!"

Before the teens had a chance to defend themselves, Lisa had grabbed Rick by his wrist and hauled him through the park, and out onto the street on the other side.

"Rick," his dad called, running up to hug his son.

"Gerry," his mum said, "Rick has gotten this young lady," she gestured towards Erin, "pregnant."

"Good one son," Gerry replied, clapping his son on the back, and then stepped back gingerly, when he felt his skin burning from his wife's glare. "I mean..." he took a quick glance towards his wife, "I am so ashamed of you Rick," he paused for a second, before leaning in, "how long did it take you?"

"Dad!" Rick exclaimed, "I love Erin."

Lisa just raised her eyebrows, "Rick, you're only 14, you're too young..."

"what about me?!" Erin exclaimed, "I'm the one who is pregnant."

"Well it was your fault you little slut," Lisa snapped back.

"And Rick's," she cried indignantly, "it was both of our faults, you can't just blame me!"

"It..."

"Mum," Rick interrupted, "what are you doing here?"

"We were let out," Gerry explained,

"we've come to get you, and then we are leaving," his wife added, before looking towards Erin, "and we can _all _have a fresh start."

"I'm not leaving Erin," Rick said firmly.

"Rick, there will be other girls," his Dad told him,

"anyway it's not like it's going to last," his Mum added, "so you might as well break it off now."

"No, it will last," he cried indignantly.

"So you want to spend the rest of your life with _her_, and the baby which is nothing more than a mistake. A mistake that you could erase, if you left with us," his Mum stated.

Rick paused.

"That's your grandchild," he paused, took a deep breath, "that's your grandchild that you are telling me to erase."

His Mum paused, a flash of guilt crossing her face, before quickly disappearing, "if it is your child, I wouldn't be surprised if she gives every guy on the block a go for a quid."

"There is going to be two people erased from my life," Rick stated, turning to face his parents, "not Erin and the baby. You two. Come on Erin," he said, offering his hand to his girlfriend.

"But," his Mum ran after him, lip trembling, "Rick, you're my baby boy, and I can't lose you."

"And this is my baby," he replied, lightly resting his hand on Erin's stomach, "and I can't lose them, so if you asking me to choose between you and my child, then you evidently don't know me, if you think I would choose you."

Xxx

Ari sat in her room, thoughts buzzing round her head like a swarm of angry bees.

"Come in," she called, when she heard someone knock at the door.

"Happy birthday," Sam greeted,

"happy birthday to you," Ari replied,

"that's not how it works," the blonde pointed out, "are you ok?"

"Too many thoughts, head hurts," the Chinese girl whispered,

"have you taken your meds?" Ari nodded, "I think you need some oxytocin," Sam told her,

"what?" Ari moaned,

"it's a feel good hormone, which helps relieves head aches,"

"where do you get this magical ox's toe sin?" she asked,

"cuddling," Sam replied, hugging her girlfriend,

"seriously," Ari said,

"yes seriously, I'm not in set one science for no reason," the blonde pointed out,

"but what about the noisy noisy noisy thoughts?"

"close your eyes,"

"then..." Ari interrupted, impatient.

"Think about your breathing, focus on breathing in and out, in and out, in and out," Sam said, voice lulling.

Within 5 minutes both girls were asleep.

Xxx

"Am I really that bad?" Erin asked Rick, "I mean," she took a deep breath, "your parents hate me, and Kitty hates me, and everyone else at the Dumping Ground seems to hate me."

"I don't hate you," Rick told her softly, "I love you."

"One person out of Seven Billion," Erin told him, "am I only worthy of love from one person?" She asked him, "is that why my parents hated me? Does that mean the..." she took a deep breath, wiped her eyes, and smudging her makeup, before taking another deep breath, and speaking, voice small. "D...d...d...d...does that mean that the baby will hate me?"

"The baby," Rick paused, resting a hand on her stomach, "will love you. And you will be a brilliant mum."

"Really?" she asked,

"really," he replied, smiling.

"But everyone at the dumping ground will still hate me," she pointed out,

"but we can sort that out," Rick told her, voice full of certainty.

"How?" Erin cried, only seeing the impossibles.

"You have to let the name Mia go," he replied,

"What!?" Erin exclaimed, but he hushed her,

"when you announced your intention to use that name you upset Ari,"

"One person on this planet,"

"but a person in your life, a person you live with," he paused, "it was Ari who was upset first, next thing you know Jemima has created a list of why we shouldn't call our baby Mia. Ari is generally quite liked, and Jemima is an influential know-it-all, so immediately they have Johnny, on their side and Tee and Tyler sided with them as well. Sam obviously sided with Ari, because those two are doing whatever lesbians do. And even Faith sided with Ari, Faith is the Switzerland of our Dumping Ground, and if Switzerland is taking sides, then we are losing the war, even Kitty, our closest friend, has turned on us. So I think you should promise we won't call the baby Mia Hope, and then we'll make amends from there. Okay?"

"Okay."

Xxx

Tracy didn't want to upset the Welsh girl, who was still giving a very in depth recall of the fight.

"Look Jemima, this is fascinating but I think I've heard enough," Tracy told her, praying for a good reaction.

"very impressive," Jemima replied grinning, checking her watch, "2 hours, 36 minutes, 53.2 seconds, very few people are interested for that long," she paused, to write a note in her notebook, then she paused. "This means I did not account for it in my schedule, which means I am now behind, so I most reschedule my day to fit this in. Goodbye," the Welsh girl replied, before sprinting away.

Tracy stood stunned, if she'd known it was that easy, she would have down it 2 hours, 36 minutes, 52 seconds earlier.

But she had to admit, that she would miss this; the pointlessly long explanations provided first by Gus, and then Jemima.

In her heart she knew it was the right thing to do, and she hated to think how they would react when she told them, but she knew that she had to tell them.

And she was telling them tonight.

Xxx

When tea time was called, it seemed just like any other dinner; people arguing, food being grabbed and eaten but then, as people were eating pudding, Tracy stood up.

She took a deep breath.

"Tracy?" Johnny asked,

"I," she paused, everyone turned to look at her, "have been offered a job, in another children's home, and I'm going to accept it," she told them, everyone was silent.

Erin stood up, "I am here to apologise,"

"took you long enough," Kitty muttered,

"and I promise to you, that I," she sighed, "will _not _call my daughter Mia Hope. I will not use either name for her."

Ari stood up as well, opened her arms, in a very dramatic way, in a very Ari way. "It's my birthday," she told them.

Jemima took a deep breath, "and I, will not being going back to school with you, if your school reopens, because I have been re-accepted to my old school."

"Birthday party for Ari?" Frank suggested,

"attic," Johnny added, and as they made for the kitchen door, Johnny turned back to Tracy and Jemima.

"_You_," he said, "are _not _invited."

**Please review, I will try and upload ASAP but my mocks start tomorrow, for two weeks, so it may be a while.**


	45. New School, New Rules

**Chapter 45 **

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Queenofsupernaturallovers for adding to favourites**

**Also I am not sure if I have already thanked you, but thank you xLyraCharlottex for adding to favourites, sorry that I am thanking you about a month late.**

**And series 3 of the dumping ground. I LOVE IT.**

**I meant to post this chapter on my birthday, and dedicate it to myself, then I missed it. So I planned to post it on the second birthday of Alone (the first story, by Zebralover4578, in this series) but then I missed that, so I dedicate this to the person I created GCSEs, because they have ruined my life.**

"I'm not going to apologise," Johnny told Jemima,

"I didn't say anything," the welsh girl replied,

"you got our school closed down, for your own benefit," he stated,

"primarily my own benefit, but a better education will allow me achieve to help other people in the future, and to do that sacrifices must be made."

"You do not have the right to sacrifice our education, in order for you to succeed."

"The school will probably be reopened, if not there are still other schools..."  
"yeah," Johnny cut her off, "St Mary's."

"Could be worse,"

"it is said to _require improvement _by Ofsted, while St George's is good,"

"Ofsted, is a stuck up backwards school system, that knows nothing about education. If I was an school inspector I would have closed St George's down years ago."

"Only took you a month attending to get it closed,"  
"says something about the security," Jem replied,

"says something about you," Johnny fired back.

"Don't," she snapped, "give me the lecture, the lecture where you tell me if have to change my ways, and stop being a self-centred prat, because I know. And I act this way, because I have a place to be, I have enormous potential, and I will go far and no government rules, laws, or people are going to stop me. Are we clear?" She asked him,

"why do I put up with you?"

"because when you stand next to me, you look like an ordinary person, and social acceptance is far more important, so putting up with an annoying twat is made worthwhile."

"Which Jemima is real?" Johnny questioned her, "how can you so quickly shift from being a nice person, to be cold and heartless. You can't be both, which one of those is real."

"Figure it out yourself," the welsh girl replied, walking off to her bedroom.

Xxx

"I can't believe Tracy is leaving," Frank commented,

"I think it's probably real this time," Tee added.

"Real?" Ari asked,

"when she was still new here, she got an offer from a newspaper, and nearly left us but in the end decided to stay," Tee explained.

"Do you reckon we will get someone new?" Erin wondered,

"doubt it," Johnny said, as he entered the attic, "I mean, it was just Mike and Gina until Tracy arrived."

Xxx

Sam pounded the front door, urgently, "Sam, babes, what is it?" Gina asked, opening the door, Sam didn't reply just sprinted inside.

"Sam!" Gina yelled after the girl, who ran into the kitchen.

"Hi Sam," Kitty said,

"Sam, it's only half nine," Ari commented, still in her dressing gown.

"Where did you get into?" the blonde asked, eyes wide.

"Get in where?"

"School," Sam stated, as if obvious. Everyone was silent, just staring at her, "you don't know do you?"

Tyler shook his head.

"Mike would have told us if he knew anything," Faith told Sam,

"so that's why he was hiding all those letters," Jemima commented, and before anyone could say another word, Mike walked into the room.

"Why didn't you tell us about school?" Tee questioned,

"I was just about to tell you," Mike replied,

"so?" Faith asked,

"you've all gotten into St Mary's," he told them.

"Same," Sam commented, grinning, while Johnny turned to glare at Jemima, who, for once, had the courtesy to look embarrassed.

"Will we have to wear that _disgusting _uniform?" Erin asked,

"no," Mike told them, "you'll have to wear your St John's uniform, because there is no way we can afford to buy you all new school uniform."

"Do you think I could use that excuse?" Sam questioned, "I mean... ex-care kid, and all..." She sighed, "I've gotta go, gotta go buy my uniform. Yay."

Xxx

By the time the 7th rolled around, the dumping ground kids had accepted that they were going to St Mary's, but that didn't mean they were happy about it.

Tyler had barricaded himself in his room, forgetting that his door opened outwards.

Jody had hidden herself inside a kitchen cupboard.

Faith was, with Ari's help, compiling a list of better alternatives than going to St Mary's.

Erin was claiming to be ill.

Rick was playing his guitar.

Yet, due to some miracle (aka Gina's shouting) they all ended up on the minibus, and left on time.

Xxx

As they walked through the halls, in their St John's uniform, and Erin was already wishing that she was wearing the hideous tartan St Mary's uniform, just so she wouldn't stand out.

People gaped, and giggled, as they watched the troop of care kids traipse through the hallway, wearing the wrong clothes.

Xxx

"This is school has a _very _strict uniform policy," the headteacher, Mr Sunderland told them.

"The council have not given us anyway to fund their uniform changes," Mike replied.

"I do believe care kids have a clothing allowance," he shot back,

"and spending it on school uniform, when there old uniform fits perfectly fine..."

"unroll that skirt," he snapped, at Ari,

"sorry sir, I can't," Arietta replied, "that's the actual length of the skirt."

"She has obviously outgrown that skirt, she needs a new one," he hissed at Mike.

"I haven't outgrown it, I just have long legs," she told him calmly.

"What's your name," he snapped,

"Arietta," she said,

"Arietta what?"

"Arietta Rosenberg, sir,"

"Detention, Arietta Rosenberg," he snapped.

"That is completely unfair," Mike declared,

"if you don't like it, take this lot of care kids to another school."

Xxx

"Am I in your class?" Ari asked Erin, and Rick.

"I'm in 10C," Rick told her,

"I'm in 10F," Erin added, looking disgruntled.

"10H," Ari sighed, checking her time table, "hopefully I'll be with Sam."

"Have to admit I'm jealous of Jemima," Erin commented, "getting to go to a nice posh school."

"I bet they don't get detentions there, for being born with long legs," the Chinese girl replied.

"We should get to form," Rick stated.

"Well good luck," Ari told the couple, "we're gonna need it."

Xxx

"You, Jemima Anderson, are here to do what?" the headteacher asked,

"I am here to go far, and succeed," Jemima replied, head held high. The teacher nodded, approvingly.

Xxx

"That is the wrong uniform," the teacher announced, as Ari walked into the room, _as if she didn't know_.

"I am sorry Miss..." Ari trailed off,

"_Mrs_ Williams," the teacher replied,

"I am sorry _Mrs _Williams," the Chinese girl replied.

"Sit next to him," she said, pointing at an empty seat.

"Hey," the boy next to her said,

"hi Robbie," she replied, she paused, then lowered her voice, "did you get my present?" she asked him.

"How did you...?"

"Jemima," she cut him off,

"how did she...?"

"Jemima," Ari told him, "she is Jemima." Robbie paused slightly,

"thank you," Arietta looked up, only just noticing the fact that she was being watched by a large percentage of her class. "Hey, I'm Arietta," she said, smiling at them,

"are you two together?" the girl in front of them asked,

"no," the Chinese girl replied, "I'm gay."

"Oh," the girl responded, looking a bit stunned by Ari's openness, "um... cool."

"You're a lesbian?" a gay on the other side of the class said, as if his brain was processing that fact, "but you're too pretty to be gay."

"Um... no... I'm way too pretty not to be gay," Ari told him,

"Excuse me, is this relevant to the daily notifications?" Mrs Williams interrupted, crossing her arms, surveying the class. She got her reply from their silence, "I thought not."

Xxx

Johnny sat in his new class, recognising only one other kid from St John's (but they were in the new uniform) cursing Jemima. It was her interference that had closed their old school, as well as costing many of the people who worked there their jobs. He sighed, and heard a couple of girls behind him giggle.

His teacher had already introduced him as "Johnny Taylor," and gave him a sympathetic look before adding that he was a "care kid", something that he hadn't planned on sharing with his class, because he knew from experience when you told strangers stuff like that you would end up spend the next half an hour answering questions: "are you parents dead?" "do you know your parents?" "were you abandoned?" "were your parents alcoholics?" "do you have any family?"

Or they would ignore you; treat you like a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of their shoe.

Or they would give you pitying looks, and big sad eyes.

And he didn't need that, he wanted to get on with his life, maybe make a few friends not be judged from the start.

Xxx

Faith wasn't usually the crying sort, but as she looked down at the exam timetable she had been given she certainly felt like it.

"Miss," she said raising her hand,

"yes... Faith...?"

"yes," the teenager replied, "um... how similar is the AQA syllabus to Edexcel?"

"Completely different," the teacher stated, "for AS they focus on very different areas."

"Can I sit the Edexcel mocks?" Faith questioned, the teacher stared at for a second, as if she was mad.

"No we can't make exceptions for one student,"  
"but I haven't learnt what is on the exams..."

"well, you're going to have to learn it," the teacher snapped, walking away.

Xxx

She heard a small groan as she entered the classroom but it certainly didn't bother Jemima; after all she had never considered friendship as necessary and she couldn't care less about approval from the rest of the world. Especially since the majority of the global population were idiots, obsessed with stupid concepts such as: fitting in, being popular, fame and love (something that is nothing more than a chemical reaction in the brain. A chemical reaction that was failing to take place in her brain).

"Good morning class," Miss Evans, a slight woman with a face like a scrap yard, called. She smiled at the Welsh girl, "today we have a new, or rather returning student, Jemima Anderson," a few girls turned to look in Jemima's direction, but most carried on their conversation about how one girl had met... a boy. Something that was obviously a foreign concept to all-girl private school students.

"So, Detective Inspector Anderson, what are you going to discover?" a girl named Chastity asked, as she slid into the seat next Jem, "that the footprints in the hall mean that the footprints in the hall means that Mr Patterson and Miss Starling are having an affair?" She joked.

Jemima raised an eyebrow, almost disgusted, "don't be stupid," she snapped harshly, "anyone can tell that those footprints in the hallway belong to men, and the only teachers with feet that big are Mr Patterson and Mr Donalds,"

"are you suggesting the Mr Patterson and Mr Donalds are having an affair!" Chastity whispered, leaning in, eyes wide, mouth a perfect "o".

"I'm not suggesting anything," Jemima replied, pulling away from the girl, "I'm telling the truth."

"But Mr Donalds is married," the other girl said, taking a moment for the words to sink in, "to a _woman_."

"You people and your quaint little categories," Jemima muttered, before turning to the girl, "yes he is married, hence why it's called an affair."

"Well what about Miss Starling then?"

"She is with Mr East," the Welsh girl replied,

"how do you know?"

"I saw them buying a toaster at the weekend, and they were at a restaurant together, and there's a picture of them on Facebook of them at a disco..."

"but they're old," Chastity interrupted,

"he's 29 and she's 32," Jemima replied, waving her hand dismissively.

"How do you know this stuff?"

"Facebook. Which is scarily easy to hack," the Welsh girl stated, before pausing, as if in thought.

"So..." Chastity started, before being rudely interrupted by the bell.

"Chemistry," Jemima declared, grabbing her bag, and before the other girl could reply the Welsh girl had disappeared, and Chastity was left standing alone – stunned, but not for long as a small smile crept across her lips and she grabbed her own bag, and sprinted after the Welsh girl to Chemistry. Not they didn't have enough already.

Xxx

"There will be a school basketball match on Thursday after school," the form captain informed Erin, "this school believes in supporting our sports teams, so it is recommended that you attend."

"I'm sorry," Erin replied, "but I've got a..." she paused for a second, deciding what to tell her new class, "I've got a scan after school on Thursday."

"Scan for what?" a blonde girl asked curiously, and Erin felt the attention of the entire class shift towards her.

_She could lie_, she reasoned, _but when they found out – which they would do – they would be unlikely to take her previous lying well_.

"I'm," she paused, "I'm pregnant," she admitted,

"how far?" one girl questioned,

"nearly five months," Erin replied,

"slut," she heard one guy mutter, but for once she didn't have the motivation to reply, to make a scene because she knew it was the truth.

**Ok that chapter was a bit messed up, but I have been writing it for nearly a month, so it is probably not my most connected chapters.**

**I hopefully will upload quicker this time.**

**Next time you have the scan to look forward too, plus maybe some drama.**

**Please review**


	46. Reflections Of You

**Chapter 46**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**For the sake of the story, both Frank and Faith are in year 12. Which I know may contradict what I have previously said, but this is necessary for the story.**

"Mike this is ridiculous, I can't catch up on 4 months of work, for all my A-Levels," Faith complained,

"is there any point of me being in school?" Frank asked, "because I was doing badly, but now everything I learnt is useless and I have to learn different stuff."

"Look we will sort this out," Mike told them,

"how?" Faith questioned, "no other school in the area has any vacancies, and even if there is then there is no guarantee that they'll do exams on the same board as St Johns."

"Third day back at school and Mike still hasn't caved," Sam commented, as she sat on the stairs listening to the conversation, "I'm surprised,"

"so am I," Ari replied, lacing up her boots.

"Going anywhere nice?" Kitty asked them, as she approached the stairs.

"Sam's house," the Chinese girl told the younger girl, "kind of sleepover."

"Sleepover on a school night?!" Kitty exclaimed, jokily, "a sleepover for couples?" She questioned, leering at the older girls.

"No," Sam stated, rather forcefully, "there won't be any _shenanigans_."

"Just popcorn, and chocolate, and probably a film or two," Ari added cheerfully.

"Arietta," Jemima called,

"I'll be with you in a second," the Chinese girl replied, before turning to the other girls, "it won't take long," she promised, before sprinting up the stairs. Two at a time.

"What's that about?" Kitty asked Sam, who was equally as confused.

"Absolutely no idea," the blonde replied slowly.

Xxx

"I've sorted it for you," Jemima told Ari, handing her the envelope, "and the letter explains that you are ill, but the phone system of here is down, and if they call to confirm this they won't get through because I have temporarily blocked the number."

"Thanks," Ari replied, "I just don't want to go to school, but I don't want to stay here on _"emotional leave"_."

"You're welcome," the welsh girl said, mask slipping momentarily as she hugged the older girl, but when she pulled back a few seconds later,

"thanks," the older girl repeated,

"HOUSE MEETING!" Gina bellowed.

"But we're going to be late," Erin commented, checking the time on her phone for the fiftieth time.

"Babe, don't worry we'll be fine," Rick replied, leading her towards the lounge, where the house meetings were usually held.

"Don't worry it won't take long," Mike assured the two teens, "then we'll go to the hospital."

"Will this take long?" Bailey moaned, as soon as Mike entered the room, "I've got football."

"Are we all here?" Mike replied,

"all present," the Welsh girl told him consulting her notebook.

"It is just a few notices," he explained, "firstly tomorrow we will be getting a new resident."

The room exploded into chatter.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Tyler questioned,

"how old are they?" Tee asked,

"are they cute?" Kitty wondered, everyone fell silent, and stared at her.

"His name is Jack," Mike explained, "he's 15 in year 11, he will only be here for a month or two; it is only a temporary placement."

"But there are no free rooms," Tyler stated,

"Johnny and Rick you will have to share," Mike told them,

"why can't Jack share with Rick?" Johnny questioned.

"Johnny and Rick you are sharing, that is final," the head care worker said firmly, before scanning the room to make sure his youngest care worker wasn't there. "Next, Tracy will be leaving us on the 18th of January and we will be throwing her a party. You lot will be organising it, so I need you to make a list of things we need."

He paused, "have you got anything to add?" he asked Gina, who shook her head, "ok, that's it. Erin, Rick with me."

Xxx

"Hello, hello," the Doctor said rather enthusiastically, shaking Mike, Rick and finally Erin's hand. "I believe this is your 20 week anomaly scan," upon seeing the look on Erin's face, he quickly back tracked. "Which sounds a lot worse than it is," he reassured, "it is simply a scan to make sure that baby is developing normally. Please can you lie on the bed," he asked Erin, who did as he said. He then proceeded to rub the jelly onto her stomach, and turned on the ultrasound machine.

"There is the baby," he pointed out, despite the fact it was fairly obvious, Erin and Rick exchanged a quick smile, before looking back at the screen. "That's your baby's heartbeat," he told them, playing them an echoing sound. "Completely healthy, no irregularities." He then proceeded to point out the baby's face and hands and feet.

"What are you doing know?" Mike asked, as the sonographer stared intently at the screen.

"Just checking the structure of head," he stated, "which is fine," he added.

He then continued his work in silence, occasionally murmuring "good" or "fine" or "healthy". Leaving Erin and Rick to stare at their baby, and for those few minutes their uncertainty fell away, and they well able to forget everything that wasn't perfect in their life; because their baby was.

Xxx

"I've got ice cream, vegan ice cream..." Sam said, as she pushed open the door to find Arietta lying on her bed, staring at ceiling, "Ari..."

"sorry," the Chinese girl apologized.

"I'm not expecting you to be all right," the blonde replied, sitting down next to her, "it is natural for you to be upset..."

"UPSET!" Ari yelled, cutting her off, "I'm fucking heart broken Sam and I..." she was unable to finish, before she started crying. Tears causing her supposedly waterproof make up to run.

Sam said nothing just hugged her girlfriend, Ari tried to take deep breaths to calm herself down, but found herself gulping for air, like a fish out of water. Feeling like someone had shoved a knife into her gut and was twisting it slowly, as if to cause the maximum amount of pain.

The evening turned into night, and Sam eventually fell asleep, but even as she slept she still kept hold of Ari. A small reassurance for the Chinese girl, reminding her that there was still some good people in world. Even if Sam would deny her own status as a good citizen, by bringing up stories of her past, stories that ashamed her. Stories that she would still tell, as if to punish herself. Sam wasn't a person who needed to be punished, Sam admittedly could be bad tempered at times. Protective, sometimes jealous but she was kind, a good listener and a person willing to lend Ari her heart, so she could make things better for the older girl.

Sam clung to Ari in her sleep, as if afraid to let go. As if letting go might result in losing her. For Ari, these thoughts led to the _what ifs, _which led to guilt, which led to pain, which led to _what ifs_. And the cycle would start again. A long painful cycle, to last a long painful night.

She tried to distract herself by watching the clock on the wall; counting the seconds: 1, 2, 3... 58, 59, 60. 1, 2, 3... A tedious coping method, watching the seconds turn to minutes. Watching the minutes turn – slowly – into hours.

The counting turned into a nursery rhyme; a repetitive melody being sung by a childish voice. A voice which stopped singing halfway through the final line, leaving silence. The silence was like an edge of the cliff, a cliff that would always catch her off-guard, and consequently she would always fall; plummet to the bottom, crash onto the rocks. Yet always, miraculously, surviving. Surviving while Mia had died.

Leaving Ari feeling out of her depth, counting the seconds in the cold January night, praying for the morning.

Xxx

It was 4:37 when the Chinese girl wriggled from Sam's grip, she tentatively placed her feet on the floor, before taking one, two, three small steps over to the window.

She clutched onto the windowsill, placing all her weight onto it, fearing the legs would give way and she would fall.

She pushed back the curtains, desperately wanting to see the sun, to feel it's warmth; the warmth that would remind her she was alive.

Instead the world outside out of the window was dark; without light; without hope; without Mia Hope Rosenberg.

She felt an unearthly weight tying her down, making every step she took hard. To counteract the weight she felt unnaturally light headed, making her world dance intoxicatedly before her eyes.

She didn't know where she was going, she just kept trudging on. When she was little her route planned, she knew exactly what was going to happen...

What was meant to happen anyway, but it didn't happen. Instead life happened.

Ari pushed the bar on the door to the right, locking the door and only just realising that she had walked all the way to the bathroom.

She suddenly noticed the violent shaking of her hand, something she was only able to focus on for a few seconds before she was distracted by the mirror. She pressed her hand against the cool glass, looking at the familiar face in the mirror.

"Hello," she whispered, stroking the reflection's cheek. For the first time in her life she didn't see herself in the mirror, she saw Symphony. Her older sister who had sunk to the back of her mind, because Symphony was at peace and Mia...

Mia wasn't. She was out there, somewhere, crying, screaming, for her Mummy and...

Arietta saw the look that Symphony was giving her, and even though it was her own face looking back at her, she knew that Symphony would be giving her exactly the same look.

"She was your niece," Arietta whispered, a piece information slipping into place with a palpable click. She was silent for a moment, and she saw Symphony in the mirror begin to smile, and then her vision blurred as tears filled her eyes and she started to cry again.

But this time it was different, these tears were happy tears because she knew that wherever Mia was, Symphony was too; looking after her, and being the best Auntie anyone could ask for.

She still felt a little faint, but she now felt stronger. Symphony and Mia were dead, but they were together; they were not alone. Symphony had been alone, but now she was not alone anymore...

And Ari had never been alone. Growing up she had Symphony. In her cell she had Mia. Before the Dumping Ground she had their memories. Then she had Sam, and now...

Now she had all three: Sam asleep in her bedroom, snoring quietly. Symphony looking back at her in the mirror. Mia was out of sight, but she was still there.

Ari slid open the lock, before making her way back to Sam's room and climbing back into Sam's bed. Immediately she felt the blonde snuggle up to her in her sleep, and Ari found herself drifting off to sleep.

Xxx

"Jack will be arriving around 5 this evening," Mike told the kids, at the usual morning massacre aka breakfast. He was mainly ignored, most of the kids were crowding round Erin and the pictures of the baby, while she pointed out it's head, arms, and legs. While the rest were revising (Faith), eating (Johnny) or reading (Jemima).

"Is that the shell?" Mo questioned, eyes wide pushing his glasses up his nose, as he pointed at the ultrasound photo.

"Mo there is no shell?" Tee told him,

"but you can't have an egg without a shell!" he exclaimed, and Jemima tried to stifle a laugh, amused by Mo's lack of biological knowledge. She couldn't help but notice Johnny was smirking too,

"don't laugh at him," Tee commanded, and Jem averted her gaze. Tee returned her attention to the younger boy, "Mo babies are born," she explained, "they don't hatch from eggs."

Johnny stood up, placed his plate in the dishwasher, before leaving the kitchen. Jemima paused for a moment before gathering up her books, and following him.

She ran her free hand through her hair, and fixed a smile onto her features.

"Can't believe Mo thought babies came from eggs," she said, running to catch up with Johnny.

"I didn't think it was possible for someone to be that much of a literal idiot," he replied, smiling despite the fact he knew he still ought to be annoyed at the Welsh girl.

"Seriously times like this make me think that I... we..." she amended, "that _we_ are the only sane people on this planet."

"Sane probably isn't the right word," Johnny pointed out,

"no it isn't," Jemima agreed, tilting her head slightly, "it is probably because we our brains effectively, while the rest of the world sit there dribbling and failing to understand basic concepts."

"Yeah," Johnny replied, not exactly sure what he was agreeing to because he was trying to get his head round the reappearance of the "kinder" Jemima.

They were silent for a moment, Jemima watched him interestedly, and smirked - amused at his confusion.

"I've got to go," she told him,

"um..." he replied, "um..."

"school," she added, before quickly kissing him, pulling away, stroking his face, smiling and walking away.

Leaving Johnny alone, confused but despite himself still smiling.

Xxx

"Nobody would criticise you if you didn't go to school today," Sam told Ari, as they walked down the drive of Sam's house.

"Hence why I'm not going to school today," Arietta replied, thrusting the letter Jemima had faked into Sam's hand.

"What are you going to do?" the blonde questioned,

"bunk. Duh!" She paused, "wanna come?" She waited for a second before continuing, "of course you don't," she stated, "you have double chemistry today."

"Ari, I..."

"don't worry," the Chinese girl replied, "I will be fine by myself."

"What are you doing?" Sam asked,

"cover for me," Ari said, as she walked away, in the opposite direction.

Sam was still for a moment before sprinting after the older girl, "Ari," she called, the other girl stopped and turned to face the blonde. "Please don't do anything stupid," she begged, pausing, looking straight at Arietta. "If... anything becomes too... much for you today, then call me Ari. Please Ari. And it doesn't matter if I'm in double chemistry; I'll come running. That's a promise."

"Thank you," Ari said, smiling,

"are you sure you are ok?" Sam questioned, Arietta went to shoot down Sam's worries but the younger girl stopped her, "please don't lie Ari. Last time I left a person I loved to go to school, I came home to find them dead..." her eyes were wide with worry, and pain; thinking of the sister she had lost.

"You love me?" the Chinese girl questioned, focusing on the wrong part of Sam's statement.

"Ari," Sam warned,

"of course," she replied, before sighing. "Life is precious, I am not going to throw it away. That's a promise Samantha; a postbox promise. Now go," she said, briefly hugging the other girl, and kissing her cheek, "can't have my beautiful girl being late for school."

"See you later," Sam said,

"see you," Ari echoed, before starting on her journey.

Her journey to make the world a better place; one person at a time.

**Ok this chapter didn't go as far as I hoped, but I decided you, my dear readers, would appreciate an update sooner rather than later.**

**Sorry for slow updates, school has been a nightmare.**

**Next time: Ari acts like an idiot, Erin acts like an idiot, Mike acts like an idiot, new boy Jack acts like an idiot. i.e. everyone is acting like idiot. Apart from Jemima because that girl is a genius.**

**Please review xxx**


	47. A Good Start

**Chapter 47**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing, and no, Ari was only upset about Mia and Symphony**

**Sorry for updating really slowly, but to make up for it you have got the longest chapter yet.**

"Are you clear on the directions Ari?" Jemima questioned, talking into her phone,

"yes," the Chinese girl replied from the other side.

"Remember, avoid main roads at all costs! And have you got your self defence criminal identifier spray?"

"Yes, I have it accessible, just in case," Arietta replied,

"ok, if you need extra help then call me," Jem declared,

"ok, thanks, gotta go," Ari stated, upon seeing Robbie, and hanging up on the younger girl.

"Ari!" Robbie exclaimed, as he noticed his best friend walking towards him, "school is that way," he told her, pointing in the opposite direction; more than slightly confused.

"I know," the Chinese girl replied, before continuing to walk the wrong way.

"Ari are you ok?" he questioned, concerned.

"I need to do something productive today," she told him, "and I'm not talking double chemistry."

"Ari..." Robbie said reproachfully,

"two years ago today Symphony died, I couldn't save her. A year ago today Mia died, I couldn't save her. Today I need to break this trend," she paused, before continuing voice a whisper, "I need to save someone."

"Ok batman, how are you gonna do that? We're hardly in Gotham City."

"Firstly no school," Ari told him,

"ok, we are bunking," Robbie replied, "what?" he questioned, when he noticed his best friend smiling.

"Just thinking of how much of an awesome friend you are," she stated, "agreeing to my crazy schemes before I have even told you what we are going to do."

"Guessing Sam refused,"

"she didn't refuse... she just wanted to... um..." She took a deep breath, before starting again, "Sam's very..." Ari paused, searching for the right word, "textbook."

"Nice thing to say about your girlfriend," Robbie commented,

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing," she replied, "it's nice having someone so reliable and who will always choose to walk on the right side of the fence. It's just sometimes you need to push boundaries, climb the fence."

"Like we are going to do today," Robbie added,

"precisely," she replied, high-fiving him.

"So who are we going to save?" Robbie questioned, Ari was silent for a moment.

"Your Mum," she replied after a couple of seconds, Robbie froze, eyes wide, mouth a perfect "o".

"Arietta, my Dad, he will kill you,"

"he won't be able to from a prison cell," she told him honestly.

Robbie stood still debating his options; he didn't want to hand his Dad over to the Police, but he didn't want to lose another family member because of him; his sister leaving for uni, and severing all contact had been bad. He couldn't lose his Mum too.

"Are you in?" Ari questioned,

"yes."

Xxx

"Where's Ari?" Erin hissed across the table, causing Sam to jump.

"Um..."

"Sam," Erin demanded,

"she's bunking," the blonde girl admitted, "for... personal reasons. She asked me to give in a letter saying she was ill..."

"personal reasons?" the brunette questioned, frowning slightly.

"If Ari wanted you to know she would have told you," Sam snapped, her response coming out a lot harsher than she expected. However, Erin's questions had pierced her already thin patience.

"Well if you gonna be like that," Erin retorted, gathering up her things and moving to the other side of the classroom.

Sam sat in her seat, twirling her pen, not paying any attention to her music teacher who had just walked into the classroom.

She did not pay attention until the teacher, Miss Halifax reached J. "Robbie Jacoby," she called, the class was silent. Sam's head snapped up, "has anyone seen Robbie Jacoby?"

_Robbie doesn't turn up to school on the day Ari decides to bunk, that couldn't be a coincidence, could it? _Sam wondered, she briefly considered texting Robbie, before remembering a passing comment he made the previous day about his Dad confiscating his phone. _I could text Ari_, she deliberated before deciding against it. It was against the rules to use a phone in class, and if she got her phone confiscated and Ari needed her, then she wouldn't know and then it might be too late...

Xxx

Ari and Robbie crouched in the shrubbery on the corner of Robbie's street, waiting for Robbie's dad to leave the house, waiting for their opportunity to swoop in and save Robbie's mum.

"Why do you have a yellow anorak in your bag?" Robbie questioned,

"you'll see," Ari replied, before pushing the boy down, "your Dad," she mouthed.

They waited for a minute, and heard the zoom of a car going past them, and when they finally dared peek out at the street Robbie's dad car had vanished.

"Come on," the Chinese girl declared, sprinting across the road to Robbie's house, "unlock the door," she commanded, pointing at the front door.

"I don't have keys," Robbie stated,

"how are we meant to get in then?"

"can't you, I dunno, pick the lock?" he suggested, Ari stared at him incredulously,

"who do you think am I?" she asked sarcastically, "Jemima Fucking Anderson or something?!"

"Well how are we going to get in then? Ari!"

The girl had started to wander round to the side of the house, he ran to catch up with him.

"First idea we smash a window," she replied,

"we can't," Robbie told her firmly, she just smirked,

"second idea," she continued, "I climb through the open window."

Which was a surprisingly sensible suggestion, till Robbie realised that the window Ari was talking about was tiny, and at least 3 metres in the air.

"How are you going to get through there?"

"Robbie, I know I'm not your type but look at me," she waved her hands in front of her body, "I have the body of a really tall pre-pubescent boy. I lack hips, and I am pretty much straight up and down in all dimensions. So shut up and give me a leg up, or smash that window."

Xxx

"Jack, it ain't for long," Max told his brother, who was currently kicking a football against a wall.

"Don't mean I wanna go though," Jack replied, catching the ball as it bounced off the wall.

"Well if ya wanna stay with Dad..." Max trailed off, having to dodge the football Jack had kicked at him.

"I'll take the unwanted kids dump any day over that wanker," he growled as he went to fetch his ball.

"Jack, ya gonna have to behave in the home or..."

"or what?" Jack challenged,

"the people ain't like me, they won't let you get away with shit, so behave, or on ya own ass be it."

"Can't ya just do all the form stuff, and look after me?" Jack questioned,

"Jack, it's only three months..."

"Three months is loads!" Jack exploded, "loads could happen in three months, I could like die or something, or fail my GCSEs, and it'll be your fault for shipping me off to the rubbish tip."

"Oh dear," Max replied sarcastically, "I'll have to spend my hard earned cash on me, and I definitely won't be needing to buy the premiership football pass..."

"Football pass!"

"Resorted to bribing my brother," Max muttered before turning to Jack, "yeah, if ya behave AND get good GCSEs, then I'll buy ya an annual pass for the football."

"I need new football boots..." Jack started,

"don't push ya luck," Max interrupted.

"Worth a try," Jack muttered,

"not gonna happen," Max replied, before making his way back inside, wishing he didn't have to send his younger brother into care.

Xxx

_Please be quick_, Robbie prayed, it had been nearly two minutes since Ari had climbed through the window and he was desperately aware that every minute they took, was a minute closer to his Dad coming home.

Finally, after what felt like eternity the door opened, "take your time," Robbie snapped,

"shut up," Ari declared, pulling him inside and closing the door behind him.

He didn't waste a minute, he rushed into the kitchen, where his Mum scuttled backwards.

"Mum," Robbie said, he paused for a second, "this is Arietta," he told her, pointing at the Chinese girl, "she's going to help us."

"Hello," Ari said, her loud voice unusually soft, she took a step closer to his Mum, and this time she did not retreat. Instead she regarded Ari with wide reproachful eyes.

"Robbie, go and fetch your Mum some sensible shoes," she commanded, before turning back to his Mum, and pulling the yellow anorak out of her bag.

She placed the coat on a work surface of the kitchen, "put it on," she said, though not unkindly.

"I am Maryam," Robbie's mother suddenly said, surprising the teenage girl,

"I am Arietta," she replied, extending a hand which Maryam stepped away from,

"how do you mean to help us?" she asked, voice slow and no more than a whisper.

"I am going to get you to safety,"

"but Jimcaale..." Maryam started to tremble,

"the Police will deal with him," Ari told her firmly.

"I need him, I am nothing without him, I..." she fell silent upon Robbie entering the room, her body stiffened.

Robbie said nothing just looked between his Mother and his best friend, before placing a pair of shoes on the table.

"Maryam if we leave now then everything will get better, but if we stay too long here then everything is only going to get worse," Ari pleaded,

"please Mum," Robbie begged, he paused for a moment, "I've already lost my sister because of Dad, I don't want to lose you too..." his voice cracked.

Maryam was still for a moment, then she picked up the yellow anorak and put it on, before sitting down and pulling on her shoes. Then she very slowly walked over to her son, and hugged him gently, before pulling away and wiping her son's eyes.

Arietta was silent for a moment, allowing for the family moment, before feeling forced to break it.

"Come on, we have to go," she urged.

Xxx

"Have there been any calls regarding Robbie Jacoby in 10H?" Miss Lucy Halifax asked the receptionist, the receptionist paused looking through the call log.

"No calls, would you like me to call the parents?"

"Yes please Sarah, ask if they are aware that Robbie hasn't turned up to school," Miss Halifax replied, standing by the desk as the receptionist dialled the home number.

After a couple of seconds the phone went to answer phone, "answer phone," she mouthed to Lucy, "hello, this is Sarah Spark calling from St Mary's High School. Can you please call back when you receive this message?"

Sarah placed the phone down, Lucy went to speak but the receptionist cut her off, "no mobile numbers have been provided."

"Ok, thanks," Lucy replied starting to walk away, before having an idea, "wait," she spun around, "has there been any contact about Arietta Rosenberg's absence, she's in 10H."

"Yes," Sarah stated, flipping to another page of her planner. "There was a letter from her care worker, saying that Arietta was ill,"

"have you called to confirm?"

"Yes," the receptionist admitted, "but like the letter confirmed, the phone line was down."

"Just seems a bit odd both Arietta and Robbie being off," Lucy stated, "considering they are best friends... I guess I'll have to go to Elmtree house, to confirm the letter."

Xxx

Arietta, Robbie and Maryam made their way through various pedestrian zones; after all Robbie's dad was in a car, and wouldn't be able to reach them without leaving the car.

"Is that pepper spray?" Robbie questioned, gesturing towards the tube in Ari's hand.

"Not exactly, but it does the same thing, and unlike pepper spray it is legal in the UK," Ari explained. Maryam edged away from Ari, and her potential weapon, and clung with even more intensity to Robbie.

She had been clinging to him ever since they left the house; as if afraid that if she let go that she would be end up alone, and punished horrifically by her husband.

As Ari watched Maryam she tried to block out her own imprisonment, but powerful flashes kept blinding her eyes, leaving her unable to focus properly on her surroundings.

They reached a junction of paths, "which way now?" Robbie asked, Ari froze unable to remember. Unable to remember anything, except her medication, the medication she forgotten to take. And the pain.

"Stay where you are!" an authoritative voice shouted, Ari's vision was blurring but even she could see the bright yellow jackets – Police.

"What do we do?" she heard Robbie asking, his voice was quiet when compared to the thumping of her heart. She could see Maryam backing away from the Police, Ari's fingers tensed clutching the can of spray.

"You should be at school!" one policeman stated, Ari backed up, he stepped closer. Too close. He was going to and before anyone realised what was going on he was on the floor and Ari found herself staring at the spray.

Xxx

"Who will that be?" Mike wondered, when he heard a knock at the door, he opened the door to find a woman in her twenties standing on the doorstep.

"Mr Milligan?" she asked,

"yes, hello," he replied confused, "um...would you like to come him?" he asked, opening the door.

"I am Lucy Halifax, music teacher at St Mary's," she explained, shaking his hand.

"Is everything ok?" Mike asked,

"it's about Arietta Rosenberg..."

"of course," Mike replied, "yeah she has been quite upset recently," he commented.

"May I ask why that is?"

"Well today, is the two year anniversary of her sister's death, and the year anniversary of her daughter's death..."

"daughter!" Lucy exclaimed, surprise flooding her face, before regaining her composure, "ok, I just came to check that the letter was genuine."

"What letter?" Mike questioned,

"the letter you sent, explaining that Arietta wouldn't be at school today..."

"I didn't write any letters," Lucy delved into her bag, before pulling out the letter and handing it to Mike.

He examined it for a moment, "it must be a forgery, I never signed or wrote this. Even though the signature is good enough to be genuine. Who gave this letter in?"

"Samantha Carter, do you know her?"

"she used to live here, now she lives with her grandparents," Mike explained.

"Have you got an address?" Lucy questioned,

"they live next door."

Xxx

Ari's day had gone from bad to worse, currently she was being detained for assaulting a police officer, and her head hurt, and she still couldn't see straight.

Also Robbie and Maryam had been taken away from her, she prayed that they wouldn't contact Jimcaale. She hated to think how that man would punish his wife and son for trying to escape.

She wondered briefly if he would punish them as harshly as she had been, for when, a year ago today, she had run away. She thought she had a chance, a chance of winning, of escaping, of freedom but her vision had been so blurry, and she had been dizzy, and the sun was burning her skin, and boiling her blood. Then she had collapsed, and she woke up in her cell.

She couldn't help but notice the parallels.

"Can I have a lawyer?" Ari yelled to the emptiness of her cell, "or a drink. Or both."

"Stay back," she heard someone shout from the other side of the door, and then the door was unlocked and policeman walked in; placed a plastic cup of water on the floor.

"Arietta Rosenberg," he started,

"oh, you know my name now," the Chinese girl interrupted.

"Mr Jacoby told us," he replied,

"yyyyyyou," Ari stuttered, her mind starting to cloud, "ddddon't let them ggggggo bbback home. They're nnnnot ssssafe."

"We have taken Jimcaale Jacoby into custody," the police officer told her, "we have tried to contact Mr Milligan, but the phone line appears to be down, so we have sent a car round to collect him. When he arrives you will be questioned..."

"I'm sorry," Ari apologised, "I never meant to hurt anyone."

The police officer said nothing, just left the cell, leaving Ari alone with her water.

Xxx

"Arietta was staying with Sam last night; a sleepover," Mike explained, as they walked to the house next door. He knocked on the door, and it was opened almost immediately by Lynne.

"Mike, come in," she said, smiling kindly, a smile which faltered slightly upon seeing the woman she did not recognise.

"I'm Lucy Halifax, music teacher at St Mary's," she explained, shaking Lynne's hand.

"Is everything ok?" Lynne questioned,

"is Ari here?" Mike replied,

"no," she said immediately, expression clouding, "she left this morning with Sam."

"Ok," Lucy replied, picking up her mobile phone and dialling the school office. "Sarah, I need you to fetch Sam Carter from her class, get her to wait in reception for me," she said, before hanging up, "thank you for your help," Lucy said, before getting up to leave and Mike followed her,

"thank you," he said to Lynne, before leaving the older woman more than slightly frightened.

Lucy and Mike walked back to Elmtree house, to find a police car on the drive. They rushed inside,

"Mr Milligan?" a policewoman asked,

"yes," Mike replied, "is this about Arietta Rosenberg?"

"Yes," she said, "Miss Rosenberg has been arrested for assaulting a policeman."

Xxx

Sam sat in reception, head in her hands. Listening to the office door open and close.

"Samantha," she heard her music teacher say, she looked up.

"Hello Miss," she replied, not looking her teacher in the eye, hoping she did notice the redness of Sam's eyes.

"I hope you are aware that you have gotten yourself an after school detention, for lying to a teacher,"

"sorry Miss," the blonde girl replied, then before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "is Ari ok?"

The teacher sighed, "Arietta has been arrested for assaulting a police officer."

"Arrested!" Sam exclaimed, eyes wide, trying not to cry again, "god, why does she have to do such stupid things?"

"Did Arietta plan to do... anything today?"

"she didn't tell me," the blonde girl replied, "she just wanted to be alone. She didn't want school, and she didn't want to be at home... so she asked me to give the letter in. I don't even know what it said."

"Did Arietta write it?"

"I seriously doubt it, writing isn't exactly Ari's forte," Sam smiled weakly.  
"Do you think that Robbie Jacoby could have written it?" Miss Halifax questioned,

"Possibly, but that probably doubt it, since Robbie doesn't live at Elmtree house, which would probably make it more of a challenge to fake a letter from... was it Mike?" The music teacher, "yeah, it would have more of a challenge for Robbie to fake a letter from Mike," Sam commented.

"So do you believe it was written by someone who lives at the Dumping ground?"

"Yes," the blonde replied, Miss Halifax went to get up, "but Miss you've got to remember that not all the people who live at Elmtree go to this school, so there is a good chance that the culprit goes to another school."

"Then how is the school meant to respond appropriately?" she questioned,

"this is no longer a school matter, this is a police matter," Sam commented, "and if you are planning on punishing Ari, don't... instead..." the blonde girl paused, "read her file, then maybe you can understand why she needed a day out. May I go?"

Miss Halifax nodded, and Sam picked up her bag, and left the office, going back to double chemistry.

Xxx

"Mr Milligan has arrived," announced as he walked her to the interview room.

"Ari!" Mike exclaimed as she entered the room, "why did you need to do this?"

"Mr Milligan, as the guardian you are required to be quiet," the officer explained, "take a seat," he told Ari, pointing at the empty seat next to Mike.

Arietta made no protest, just sat in the seat opposite the two officers. The second, who pressed the button on the recording tape.

"Interview of Arietta Rosenberg, for charge of assault of a policeman. Interview commences," he paused checking his watch, "11:32, on Friday the 10th of January 2014."

"Ok, Arietta are you pleading guilty or not?" he asked,

"I am pleading guilty," Ari stated, finger nails digging into the arm of the chair.

"Please explain your actions," the first officer asked.

"From the start?" The Chinese girl questioned, he nodded in response, "basically, on this day, on both last year, and the year before that, I lost two important members of my family. I wanted today to be different, so I decided that the best way to change things would be by helping my friend and his mother. I decided to help them because they were both abused by father slash husband, so I consequently created a plan to rescue them."

"After you had rescued them what did you plan to do?"

"I believe you are aware of the safe house for abused women?" she asked, the officers nodded, "I was going to take them there. Just to keep them out of harms way, then hopefully Maryam would have been able to get the help she needed, and then they would have presumably have called social services to take in Robbie. My plan basically resulted in both members of the family being safe from the abuser."

"Where did your plan go wrong?" the second officer questioned,

"basically as we were going through the streets on our way to the station, I started experiencing flash backs, triggered by memories which were unlocked by seeing Maryam being kept in such an abusive setting. I tried to carry on and ignore the flashback, but they were causing reality to blur and I really wasn't in control. As this point we were spotted by a pair of police officers who approached us, and as the male made his way towards me, and I panicked, and I really wasn't in control, so immediately tried to defend myself and I consequently ended up spraying him with the defensive spray, before suffering another flash back, and when it was over I found that I had been arrested for assaulting a police officer."

"Why were you carrying a defensive spray?"

"I had it with me as I last resort if Maryam's husband found us, so I could possibly cause a diversion, so we could escape," Arietta explained.

"Do usually suffer from flashbacks?"

"Yes, usually a couple times a day," Ari replied, "but they're not usually that intense. I believe it is probably because I forgot to take my meds, as well as being in an environment with triggers."

"You are on medication?"

"I am taking medicine for my PTSD,"

"anything else?"

"only medication to help me sleep, and vitamin supplements."

"Do you have anything else to add?" the officer asked her,

"I do not," Arietta replied,

"interview concluded, 11:36, 10th January 2014."

The officer pressed stop on the recording device, "please follow me," the other one said, leading Mike and Ari out to some sort of waiting room.

Xxx

"Thank you Mr Jacoby," one of the detectives said, leaving him with a man who introduced himself as Tony, who was now Robbie's social worker.

"What is going to happen to me?" Robbie questioned,

"you are going to be taken into care," Tony replied, "this may or may not be a temporary measure."

"Where will I go?"

"You will either go to an emergency foster placement or to a children's..."

"Elmtree house?" Robbie interrupted,

"possibly," Tony stated, "it depends on whether the foster placements are full. Is this your room?" he asked the teenage boy, who nodded and opened the door. "Do you have any suitcases or holdalls?"

Robbie shook his head, "we've never been on holiday, so we don't really have any need for those..."

"I'll get one from my car," Tony told him, smiling reassuringly, "you can start collecting the stuff you want to take with you."

Robbie started emptying his wardrobe, and was amazed at clutter; why did he jeans at least 5 inches too short? And why did he still have clothes that was aged 9-10 years?

He pushed that thought aside and started to picking out the clothes that he liked, that actually fitted him. He had surprisingly few.

_A couple of months ago going into care was my idea of hell_, _now it is happening I am actually looking forward to it. _He paused, slightly confused, before remembering that it was probably due to the fact that his best friend lived there, and his other best friend lived next door.

But that was if he actually moved to Elmtree house, there was always a chance he would end at the foster home.

Robbie dumped the clothes he wasn't going to take back in his wardrobe and starting looking through his other stuff. He discovered pictures of his parents that he had forgotten he owned. Pictures of his parents back when they lived in Somalia; _tragic lovers_ his Mum had called them, young and in love in a country that was being torn apart by civil war. They decided to run away to England, where they would be safe. So they left Somalia, left their families and left their religion to move to England, where they then got married.

At first everything had been great, they had good jobs, they made money, Larah was born, and a couple of years later he was born. Robbie had no idea when everything fell apart, or even how it fell apart. He just remembered watching his Mum become more and more reclusive over the years, and his Dad become more and more violent, while the light – that glimmer of hope – faded from his Mother's eyes, and her once long monologues become little more than the occasional word. He hadn't helped of course, he made it worse for her; he parroted his Dad's words and on one or two occasions he had gone as far to mimic his actions.

Then Larah disappeared, she had just finished school and was looking at universities, she had narrowed it down to the last few but then their Dad had told her that she couldn't go, that she didn't deserve an education, that she didn't deserve anything.

The next morning Larah was gone, along with half her clothes and possessions.

Their Dad ranted and raged until he was blue in the face, this was the point when he took away his wife and son's house keys, and he looked the front door when ever he wasn't around. So that neither Robbie or Maryam could leave the house without his permission. Then the abuse got worse for Maryam, and then he turned on his son; the one he supposedly loved and wanted to make him into a clone of himself.

Robbie said nothing when his social worker reappeared, he simply packed his clothes and possessions. He knew that the future wasn't going to be easy, but he couldn't help but be happy that he was getting a fresh start.

A fresh start where both him and his Mum would be safe.

Xxx

Ari and Mike were still waiting for the conclusion of the police, and both were praying that isn't wasn't a matter that would have to be sorted out in court.

"What's going to happen to Robbie and Maryam?" Arietta asked, breaking the silence.

"Robbie will be going into care," Mike told her, "Foster placement probably," he added quickly.

"And Maryam?" Ari questioned,

"I know she was being taken to hospital, just for assessment. Then they would have decided how best to help her," Mike explained.

"I'm sorry Mike," the teenage girl replied,

"how long have you been known this was going on?"

"Pretty much since I arrived," she admitted, sighing, "god, I should have just reported what was going on..."

"yes, you should have," Mike told her, looking more than slightly disappointed.

"Instead I let them suffer an extra three months of pain before helping them, I could have stopped this months ago," she cried.

"Arietta, what was going on was not your responsibility..."

"but it was," she told him, "I was the only one who knew what was going on, and I did nothing. I just let them suffer," she started sobbing, and Mike didn't say anything; just pulled her in for a hug, because it didn't matter how many stupid things they did; they would always be his kids.

Xxx

"Shi... sugar," Tony corrected himself,

"no vacancies?" Robbie guessed, Tony placed his phone back into his pocket.

"No," Tony admitted, "none of our regular foster placements have any spaces."

"So what now?"

"You mentioned Elmtree House earlier," the social worker commented,

"yeah..."

"I'm guessing you'll have to go there," Tony told him.

"Do they have spaces?" Robbie questioned,

"well they were already receiving one teenage boy today, I doubt another one will cause to many extra problems."

"Ok," Robbie replied, pulling out his phone, that he had retrieved from a drawer his Dad usually kept locked. He was amazed to find that there was still credit on it, so had been able to text Sam and Ari:

_hey may be coming to live at the DG R._

"We might as well go and pick up Jack now, so I don't have to make two trips to Elmtree house," Tony commented, as he started turning the car round.

The conversation faded as the made there way across town to pick up the other boy.

Robbie's phone buzzed, a reply from Sam:

_Seriously! That's cool. Do you know if Ari is out of prison yet?_

Robbie couldn't help but sigh slightly, he didn't hold it against Sam, but he wished that the two of them could have a conversation that wasn't centred around Arietta.

He knew that while Sam liked him, and considered him a friend, she couldn't help but see him as competition. Competition for her best friend and girlfriend; Sam didn't want to lose the first person she could consider a real friend. He didn't mind that, but he wished that they could get over it and that Sam would realise that Ari wouldn't be replacing any time soon.

_Don't know, sorry_

Robbie texted back, before exiting and going to play Temple Run.

Xxx

"Who's that?" Jack questioned, when somebody knocked on the door, looking to his older brother,

"the social worker isn't due for another few hours," Max replied, answering the question Jack hadn't even asked, before peeling himself off the sofa and going to answer the front door.

"Max Jackson?" the man asked,

"yes," Max answered, the man pulled out a piece of ID and handed it to him.

"Tony Charleston," he told Max, "Jack's social worker," he elaborated.

"You weren't meant to be arriving till 4," Max replied,

"yes, I know but I was brought in for an emergency case, and the boy in the situation is going to Elmtree house, and since Jack was en route I decided to call in." He paused, "I mean I can come back later if you are in the middle of something?"

Max sighed, shaking his head.

"Jack," he called, "ya social worker is here."

"Already?" Jack groaned,

"yes," Max told him, "behave," he added as Jack walked out into the hallway, and grabbed his holdall.

"Won't do," Jack replied, before hugging his older brother, then pulling away and then walking past his social worker, without saying hello, down to the car.

In the back seat he saw a guy about his age playing on his phone, he groaned before opening the door, sliding into the seat next to him, and slamming the door.

"Guessing you're Jack," the boy replied, not looking up from the phone.

"What do ya know about me?" Jack snapped defensively, the guy looked up, eyebrow raised, as if asking: _are you serious?_

"I know your name is Jack," he replied, "and you're more than slightly rude," he added, before going back to the game he was playing.

_We better not be sharing_, Robbie thought, because after about ten seconds of conversation he had already had enough of the other guy.

Xxx

"We," the policeman said, pausing to look over at his colleague who nodded slightly, "are issuing you with a warning this time," he told Ari, she let go of the breath she didn't even know she was holding and smiled with relief.

"Thank you," she told him,

"we are confiscating the defence spray," they told her,

"thank you," she repeated, and Mike looked visibly relieved

"You are grounded when we get home," Mike told her, as they walked back to the dumping ground,

"thank you," Ari repeated, before realising what he had said, "what about going to see Sam?"

"Grounded," he said,

"what about school?" Mike just gave her a look, "worth a try," she muttered.

They were cut off by Mike's phone ringing, "yes, Ari's fine, just a warning, yes, what? Two new residents! Who's the other... oh right. We'll be back in a few minutes," Mike ended the call. "That was Gina," he told Ari,

"does that mean that Robbie is going to be living at the Dumping Ground?" she questioned, looking slightly smug. Mike said nothing, "yes," Ari stated, grinning and grabbing the air.

"Except there isn't enough room for him; Bailey and Tyler are already sharing, as are Rick and Johnny."

"What about Jack, that new one?" Ari suggested,

"he needs his own room," Mike told her,

"Frank?"

"so does he,"

"me,"

"what?!" Mike exclaimed, "Ari you can't share with Robbie. Girls and boys cannot share."

"It would only be temporarily," she replied,

"still against the rules."

"You let me share with Sam!"

"That was different?"

"You let two lesbians share a room! But you think it is more risky to let a straight guy and lesbian who view each other as siblings share? Surely if any shenanigans were going to take place it would have happened when Sam and I were sharing. Not that anything happened," Ari added, just as reassurance.

"We will talk to Gina when we get back," Mike stated, trying to not make it obvious that he agreed with the teenage girl.

Xxx

Jemima made her way up the drive to the dumping ground, one look at the vacant drive made it perfectly clear that the kids from the primary school and St Mary's weren't back yet.

She couldn't help but smile slightly, she always loved it when the house was empty, and consequently quiet.

It was only as she got closer that she heard a repetitive sound coming from the side of the house, she paused for a 0.674 of a second before going to investigate.

Her investigation took all two seconds because she, rather conclusively, discovered a teenage boy kicking a football against the wall.

"Full name," she commanded, the boy stopped stunned.

"What does it matter to ya?" he snapped,

"because I live here," she replied, "and the sooner you answer my questions, the sooner I leave you alone."

"Jack," he told her,

"Jack what...?" he froze for a moment, something that didn't go unnoticed by the Welsh girl.

"Jackson," he replied, with zero certainty.

"Date of birth?"

"1st of April 1998," he rolled his eyes,

"So you were born on a Wednesday?" Jemima asked,

"um..." he looked startled, "I... think so."

"So you are 5764 days old," she added, "or 15 years, 9 months and 10 days old; including today."

"Anything else ya need to know? Height? Weight? Best pizza topping?" He asked sarcastically,

"Well, if you were willing to share..." Jemima replied earnestly, missing the sarcasm.

"Well, I ain't, so piss off," he snapped.

"Hello, nice to meet you too," the Welsh girl told him, "I'm Jemima Anderson."

She then left, all the while making plans on how to work out his secret.

She entered the kitchen through the back door to discover Ari and Robbie sitting at the dining table,

"guessing it worked?" she said, making the older teens jump.

"Not exactly," Ari admitted, "I got arrested first."

"She assaulted a cop," Robbie explained.

"But all's well that ends well?" Jemima questioned,

"yes," Robbie told her.

"What's up with the new guy?" She asked them, deciding to cash in on the gossip.

"Don't really know," Robbie replied, "all I know is his name is Jack and he acts like a..."  
"twat?" Jemima suggested, Robbie and Ari nodded, "thought so," she replied, going over to the tap to get a cup of water before sitting down at the table with them, and found herself passively part of a conversation about some recent pop-culture event; something that definitely did not interest Jemima Anderson.

Thankfully she was quickly revived from this bore by the arrival home of the other kids, the door opened and Sam sprinted in.

"You said you wouldn't do anything stupid!" she declared, Ari opened her mouth, then closed it, speechless. "Ari," Sam sighed, "you got arrested."

"How did you know?" Robbie questioned,

"I got pulled out of my lessons to be asked questions, regarding where you _two _were," she snapped, making sure to put extra emphasis on the word _two_.

"I didn't mean to get arrested," Ari admitted, "I just had a flashback and consequently attacked a policeman."

"Are you ok?" the blonde asked, anger slowly dissipating, worry setting in, in it's place.

"I am now," Arietta replied,

"what about you?" Sam questioned, turning to Robbie.

"We decided to get my Mum to safety, away from my Dad," he said,

"did it work?"

"Why do you think I am here?" Robbie stated, "my Mum has been declared unfit to look after me, and my Dad has locked away... finally."

"You look exhausted," Sam commented, sitting down next to Ari, as if Robbie hadn't spoken.

"Someone only got about an hour and a half sleep last night," Ari replied, "probably cos of your insistent snoring," she stated,

"you better be joking," Sam replied,

"sorry babes, you snore," Ari told her.

Before their conversation could continue the kitchen was flooded with the others, "have fun bunking?" Erin questioned.

"Nope," Ari told her, not flinching at the look Erin sent her.

A couple of people greeted Robbie, but they were all focused on the new boy who Mike had left to find.

"Is he hot?" Kitty questioned,

"he's seriously andro," Ari replied,

"andro?"

"androgynous," she elaborated, "if he was a she, and she was a lesbian then goodbye Samantha, hello gorgeous."

"Well, I see how it is," Sam replied, feeling slightly insulted.

"Ok kids, this is Jack," Mike announced from the doorway, and Jack sighed before entering the room.

"hey Jodes," Jack stated, suddenly unusually well-mannered. Jody went forward to hug him,

"you two know each other?" Erin commented,

"she's my cousin," Jack told them, Mike smiled at him, nodding encouragingly before leaving the room.

"Do you have the same surname?" Tyler questioned,

"yeah," he stated, shrugging, "so what?!"

"So you're Jack Jackson," Tyler stated, Johnny sniggered,

"that's funny," Robbie admitted.

"It's just my name," he stated defensively,

"are you usually this defensively?" Jemima questioned, looking up from her notebook,

"are you usually this nosy?" he shot back,

"yes," she told him simply, "what about you?"

"Ignore her, she's an idiot," Erin commented, stepping forward, "I'm Erin."

"And you're not? Miss what 14(?) and pregnant?" he asked sarcastically, Erin's jaw dropped, she clenched her fist and starting walking towards Jack to punch him, but found herself restrained by at least four people.

"I'm not a slut," Erin hissed,

"sure you're ain't Enoby," he snapped,

"my name's Erin," she growled.

"Whatever slut," he told her,

"are you usually this misogynistic?" Ari questioned,

"that's none of ya business, is it lezza?" he replied.

Arietta looked remarkably unbothered by his homophobic slur,

"wow, homophobic and sexist. Anything else you want to add: Racist? Transphobic? Queerphobic?"

He tensed, before rolling his eyes, "whatever."

Jemima frowned slightly.

"Urgh... why do I have put up with you annoying shits?" he questioned, Jemima looked slightly confused.

"Why did you use the plural? There is only one of me," she pointed out.

"Oh piss you off Welshie," Jack snapped, before storming out of the room.

"Well..." Tee said,

"that was a good start," Robbie dead-panned.

**And that is the end of Chapter 47**

**This is the longest chapter yet, so please review!**

**I will try and update ASAP, but that may be a while.**

**Yep, that's all. **

**Please review**


	48. Bring It On

**Chapter 48**

**Last chapter was 6802 words, in case you were interested**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**I have got a Polyvore, and I have done some character sets for this fanfic. So if you want to check them out, you can find the links on my profile.**

"Is this usual?" Robbie asked Jemima, who gave the question less 0.3 seconds consideration,

"no," she told him, "it's unusual for the council to have a free flat that can be moved into at less than a week's notice, and it is even more unusual for that flat to go to a care kid," she commented, "and the strangest thing is perhaps how Mike just gave in."

"Christmas cards?" Mo asked, interrupting the conversation, holding up a bin bag.

"I don't thi..." Robbie started,

"yes please," the Welsh girl cut in, grabbing the bin bag off Mo and started sorting out to Christmas cards at a terrifying speed.

"What are you looking for?" Mo asked, frowning slightly, a bit confused by Jemima's behaviour. A confusion that grew when the Welsh girl paused, reading a card.

"Um..." she stood up, not looking away, "keep up the good work... folks," and with that she rushed out of Mo's room.

"But what about the party?!" Robbie yelled after her.

Jemima didn't reply she just rushed down the hallway to her bedroom, she closed her door, before barricading it. She took a seat at her desk and pulled out her notebook, and opened to the page dedicated to Jack:

**Jack Jackson**

DoB: 1st April 1998

Nationality: White British

Height: 5'8

Weight: 140 lb

Build: Slim, slightly muscular

Hair: dark brown

Eyes: blue

Family: Max (brother), Jody (cousin).

N.B. See page **Jody Jackson **for my information on _extended _family.

That was it, that was all she knew. Jack had been in the dumping ground for an entire week, and that was all she, Jemima Anderson, knew. It wouldn't have been exaggerating to say that her lack of knowledge was causing her physical pain.

She had broken into the office (multiple times) looking for Jack's file, however it was missing. Not explaining anything; why he was in care, as well as various other information. She had then hacked the office computer, but the online database was also incomplete. Then she proceeded to check council documentation; looking through the newspaper archives; no mentions of Jack Jackson (not even in "bonny baby" competitions). Then in a state of frenzy she had called up local secondary schools, but none had – or had had – a student called Jack Jackson. All google searches came up only with the BBC DJ, musician and broadcaster of the same name; or pictures of Eddie Redmayne.

Then she had struck gold; who knew Mo's _treasure _actually had value?!

Jemima placed the Christmas card down on the table, reading the message:

_Dear Jody,_

_Merry Christmas,_

_Love from Uncle Derek, Max and Kelly xxx_

From this, as well as an amazing sense of deduction, she had been able to work that Derek was Jack's dad, which lead to the question: why had Jack been left off the Christmas card? And who was Kelly? She knew that Max was Jack's brother, so who was Kelly? His Mum?

Jemima's thoughts were interrupted by a knocking on the door, "Commander Anderson," Ari called from the other side of the door, Jemima smirked 96.2% sure that on the other side of the day Arietta was mock-saluting, "the troops are rebelling, and the work is getting done with..."

"minimum efficiency?" Jem suggested, putting her notebook away, before beginning to remove the barricade from her door.

"Something like that," the other girl replied, "probably you get down there before they start screeching "_do you hear the people sing?_" or something else equally inspiring."

Jemima sighed slightly, wishing she could continue her research, but she knew, from experience, that order was _far _more important.

Xxx

"RICK!" Erin screamed, the teenage boy leapt to his feet; Erin's voice reaching him, despite the many rooms between them. He sprinted down the hallway and into Erin's room.

"What's going on?" he shouted, looking round Erin's room panicked, "are you ok?" His girlfriend looked up at him and smiled,

"the baby was kicking," she explained, Rick found himself breathless.

"Can I?" he asked, Erin nodded. He sat down on the bed next to her, the bed dipping under both of their weight.

Erin picked up his hand and placed it on her stomach, he didn't feel anything, then suddenly there was a resounding kick. Rick's eyes widened, and he found himself tearing up.

"Hello," he whispered, stroking the strained skin, "I'm your Daddy," he got a kick in response.

"She likes you," Erin smiled,

"he likes me," Rick corrected,

"she,"

"he,"

"she,"

"he,"

"she,"

"he," _kick_. "See," Rick replied, "even he thinks he's a boy."

"No, she was kicking you to tell you that I'm right," Erin argued. Another kick. "See I'm right."

"No, he was kicking to tell you that you're wrong," Rick shot back.

Before their argument could continue a Welsh voice shot through the door. "Slacking. Will not. Be tolerated,"

"is she talking to us?" Rick questioned,

"no I am talking to a fictitious entity," Jemima yelled back, "yes, I am talking to you: Rick Barber and Erin Walker. Get yourself down here and do something useful with your miserable existence."

"Bit harsh," Rick muttered,

"63% true," the Welsh girl replied.

Xxx

"It's going to be strange," Tee started, looking up from the banner she was making, "not having Frank or Tracy here."

"How long have they been here?" Tyler asked,

"Frank has been here for..." Tee paused, working it out, "5 or 6 years, Tracy has been here for 3 or 4 years. I remember when they both arrived."

"Really?" Ari exclaimed,

"well we've been here since 2006," Johnny told them.

"Meanwhile in 2006 I would have been in China," Ari added, pausing for a second, looking straight ahead for a second, before returning her attention to the card she was decorating.

"I forgot that you used to live in China," Tyler commented.

"what was it like?" Mo questioned.

"The air was..." Arietta waved her hands in the air, "horrible." She then picked up the glitter and the glue.

"You grew up in another country, and that's all you can say about it," Johnny stated,

"not much to say," Ari replied, spread the glue on the card, "it was home until I was 9, and then it wasn't..."

"do you miss it?"

"what are we talking about?" Erin questioned, springing into the room, hand in hand with Rick.

"Ari was telling us about China," Faith explained.

"I don't miss it," she told them honestly,

"not even slightly?" Tee questioned,

"nope,"

"not even the food?! I love Chinese food!" Tyler exclaimed,

"what food?" Ari replied,

"you know, like prawn crackers and chow mein," he explained,

"no one eats that stuff in China,"

"I would presume you would eat Rice," Faith commented,

"yep. Rice."

Robbie considered changing the conversation, it was clear, from her short replies, that she didn't want to talk about her life in China, yet no one seemed to be picking up on that fact.

"Arietta," Jemima commanded strutting into the room, "I need your help with the music, the rest of you; SLACKING!" And with that the Welsh girl walked from the room, and Ari looked relieved at the excuse to leave.

Leaving Robbie to debate whether Jemima had actually needed Ari or just sensed her discomfort.

Xxx

Rick had, with the permission of Jemima, taken a break and made his way back to his room; ignoring Erin's questioning looks. He sat down on his bed, picked up a notebook, pausing slightly to look at the his pile of discarded attempts. Before settling down into a comfy position, and beginning to write:

_Dear baby,_

_I am calling you baby because we don't know if you're a boy or a girl yet, Erin (your Mum) reckons you're a girl but I can't help but think that you're a boy (but if you a girl remember that I love you regardless of your gender)._

_I have been wanting to write a letter to you, but all my previous attempts came out wrong so this time I am just going to write it without thinking. So sorry that is not all perfect and stuff..._

_You kicked for the first time today, I know I shouldn't be surprised because we have reached the point where it wouldn't be unheard of for you to kick. Yet it still surprised us, I think it has also made it more real. How, in about 4 months, you will be born; it's almost surreal. It also made it scarily obvious how unprepared we are._

_But it also made me excited. Excited that, soon, we will finally meet you. Something that no amount of preparation will make me ready, but that isn't a bad thing... in fact it is probably the opposite._

"Your break is over, return to your work station," Jemima yelled,

"I'm busy," Rick shouted back, irritated that he had been interrupted so early into his letter.

"Ok... I'll just go back to Erin, and tell her that you don't care that the human you impregnated her with is kicking..." Jem trailed off, as Rick's door opened and he sprinted downstairs, off to find his girlfriend.

Xxx

"The playlist is ready," Ari told the Welsh girl, "what do wan..."

"take the rest of the afternoon off," Jem cut her off,

"ok," she replied, before doing a double take, "wait what...?"

"Take the rest of the afternoon off," she repeated.

"Are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be serious?" Jemima questioned, frowning slightly.

"Err... you never give anyone time off, especially not when there is an important upcoming event," Ari explained, "and why am I an exception?"

"You're not an exception..." Ari raised her eyebrows,

"ok, well... they were questioning you and you weren't comfortable," Jemima told her matter of factly, "and that isn't fair on you."

"Sounds like making exceptions..." Ari joked, Jemima looked away,

"am I allowed to make exceptions?" she questioned, biting her lip.

"Why would you make exceptions for me?" The Chinese girl replied,

"because you are my..." she paused, searching for the word, "friend. You are my friend... right?"

Arietta paused, surprised by Jemima's openness; she had never seen the Welsh girl looking more... honest? Confused? Sincere? Scared? None of those things?

All of those things.

"I am your friend," Ari told her, before hugging her, "and that's a promise. A postbox promise."

Jemima pulled away, looking intrigued, "what's a postbox promise? Is it some sort of tradition? Or is it a ritual?"

Ari couldn't help but laugh.

Xxx

The party was in full swing, Tracy and Frank had made speeches and everyone was enjoying themselves; either dancing, arguing, eating, or reminiscing.

Jemima Anderson, on the other hand, was not. All she wanted to do was do some intense research on Jack.

Jack, who had blown off the party to go practice football in the garden, something that Bailey hadn't be allowed to do. However no one had ever said anything about Jemima...

Within a minute she had sneaked from the living room, into the kitchen and then out of the back door.

"You know it is not socially acceptable to avoid a party," Jemima stated, Jack looked up.

"Explains why you ain't there then Welshie," he snapped, still kicking his football against the back wall.

"Your insults are only mediocre, and lack offence. Which is, according to my studies, a fairly important part of insulting people," she pointed out.

"Are you like brain dead?" he questioned,

"no, my brain is actually perfectly healthy, thank you for asking," Jemima smiled politely,

"why can't ya just fuck off?"

"Because I am an annoying bitch, who doesn't give a damn about societal expectation... or the law. But information? Now that's something that I value; so to translate to your poor Northern brain; I am going to find out everything about you, and _nothing _is going to stop me. Not you, not Mike, not the law, not even Scotland getting Independence, because who are they kidding? That is never going to happen, and if it did they would last about a minute, then they would be back, begging to be part of the UK again."

She paused, and took a deep breath, "to clarify. I am going to find out everything about you,"

"what ya gonna do steal my file?" he asked, trying to intimidate her.

"About that, any reason why they are neither in the filing cabinet or on the computer database?" she questioned, his eyes widened, suddenly realising how serious the younger girl was.

"Don't worry," she smirked, "I will find out."

"Then what will you do?" he whispered,

"I will pass judgement on you," she told him, "don't worry, all information will be kept confidential. No one else will know..."

"Why are you doing it then?"

"Knowledge," she admitted, "that's all I want, and if you are going to make it hard for me. Then I have one thing to say to you," she paused, started to walk away before turning back.

"Bring it on."

**Ok, that chapter didn't go like I expected... or how I planned... but oh well.**

**Sorry for slow updates; they are probably only going to get worse because of GCSEs, but don't worry this story hasn't been forgotten about.**

**How you enjoyed this chapter, and sorry it is (relatively) short.**

**Please review xxx**


	49. Experiments and Information

**Chapter 49**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Disclaimer: All of Jemima's opinions are entirely her own, they should not be taken seriously or offensively. They do (mostly) not reflect the views of the author and she will definitely not pay for your therapy.**

**This chapter contains a section that may be rated M, I will label that section so you can skip it if necessary. **

"Purse your lips," Ari commanded, before demonstrating the action.

"Is this really necessary?" The Welsh girl questioned, Arietta levelled,

"you asked me to do your makeup; to make you unrecognisable for a "social"," she paused, making air quotes, "experiment. So yes, this is necessary. Unless you don't want my help..." she trailed off, and Jem sighed defeated.

"Make me into something that society would deem beautiful," she replied, before pursing her lips. Ari smirked before starting to apply the make up.

"Why do I need to close my eyes?" she questioned, a couple of minutes later, arms crossed.

"I can't do mascara or eyeliner if you keep your eyes open," Ari told her honestly, "because it would probably end with me stabbing you in the eye, and consequently you taking the entire matter to court, and suing me millions of pounds."

Jemima considered for all of 0.7 seconds, "that is partially correct, instead of suing you, I would fabricate evidence to place the blame on someone else. Preferably somebody rich, that I don't like, who would be willing to pay millions to cover up a scandal."

Ari sat back, "do you sit in your room, and plan how to scam people?" she questioned,

"no," Jemima replied, "it is just an immediate reaction,"

"close your eyes," the Chinese girl commanded, Jemima obeyed and her mind snapped back to her plan.

Jack was out; he had challenged Bailey to a football match so the two of them had headed down to the park. Thus providing Jemima with the time to go and question some people about Jack; hence the disguise. She didn't need anyone to find out what she was doing, least of all someone who could report her.

"You can open your eyes," Ari told her, "I was thinking we could straighten your hair. Since your hair is pretty recognisable..."

"you are loving this," Jemima stated,

"you bet," she replied, turning on her hair straighteners.

Xxx

"Why is everything happening all at once?" Mike questioned, slumping down into his seat.

"I'm sorry Mike," Gina replied, "but..."

"it's not your fault," he told her, cutting her off.

"What do we tell the kids?" she questioned,

"about what? You leaving? Floss arriving? Kitty's potential foster placement? The fact we are getting closed down?"

"Mike man, we have to tell them," Gina told him.

"I know, I know," he replied, putting his head in his hands, "but not today."

Xxx

"I look... different," Jemima admitted,

"you look fucking fancy," Arietta corrected,

"is that...?"

"yes, that is a compliment," Ari finished.

"All this makeup is making my brain cells rot."

"And there I was thinking you would have problems with being dressed in so much pink," Ari commented.

"Well, I do, I look like a Brunette Primark Barbie doll," she snapped.

"You wanted to look different," Ari reminded her.

"I look like a chav,"

"nah, you're not tacky enough to be a chav."

"Oh well, I look different, thank you," Jemima said hurriedly, before leaving the room, and Ari (who had surpassed the point of being surprised by Jemima's erratic behaviour).

The Chinese girl just shook her head, and started tidying up the mess that Jemima had left behind.

Xxx

"Why aren't you on a team?" Bailey asked, kicking Jack the ball, "I mean, you're actually ok."

"Ok?" Jack replied, starting to knee ups, not looking at Bailey. "I'm a hell of a lot better than ok."

"Why aren't you on a team?"

"Well, I ain't been at the dumping ground long, Mike hasn't had time to get me in anywhere," Jack explained.

"But you lived in the local area," Bailey replied, "at least that's what Jemima said..."

"What has that Welsh bitch been sayin' about me?" he questioned, dropping the ball and staring at Bailey.

"Nothing much, mainly stuff about you living locally and being Jody's cousin," Bailey explained, retrieving the ball.

"Oh ok... good," Jack replied,

"why are you so bothered?"

"dunno, I just don't want some compulsive liar making up shit about me," Jack said;

Lying.

Xxx

Jemima checked the address before walking up the driveway and knocking on the door, she waited for a couple of seconds, before the door was opened by a guy who looked a lot like Jack.

"Hiya," Jemima chirped, making sure to disguise her Welsh accident, with a generic kind of Northern English one.

"Um... hi?" he replied, "who are you?"

"Emma," she told him, "Emma Jenner. Is Kelly in?"

He paused for a second, "do you two go to school together?" he questioned suspiciously.

"Yeah, Kelly's in my..."

"Kelly, won't be coming back to your school," he told her.

"Is she ok?" She questioned,

"she," he started, looking uncomfortable, "has moved school."

"Oh... um... ok... is she in?"

"No she isn't," he told her abruptly,

"will she be back later?"

"No," he snapped, before taking a deep breath, features softening, anger fading, "look I'll talk to... _her, _and if she wants to see you then..."

"why wouldn't she want to see me?" Emma/Jemima questioned,

"let's just say Kelly left your school for a reason," he told her, "and I don't know whether or not she would want to speak to you..."

"ok... well... here's my email address," she said, handing over a slip of paper.

(Obviously not Jemima's email address, it was one she had created earlier with a fairly generic "girly" user name.)

"Ok, I'll pass it on,"

"thanks..." she paused, "is it Max?"

"yeah, it is Max Jackson,"

"ok, thank you Max Jackson," she replied, and with that Emma/Jemima walked away, theories occupying her brain, and smiling;

After all, she was one step closer to finding out the truth.

Xxx

"What are you doing here?" Johnny questioned, confused by the brunette girl who had walked in the Dumping Ground on her own.

"Jonathan Taylor," she replied, Welsh accent thick. He could help but do a double take, his jaw dropping.

"You could win an Oscar with the goldfish impression mate," Rick commented, before noticing the unrecognisable girl.

"Hey," Erin greeted, "I'm Erin."

"Walker, born to parents Chloe and Liam, came to the Dumping Ground 7 months ago," Jemima continued, "yes I know."

"Jemima?" Rick asked,

"this is what happens when you allow Arietta Tara Rosenberg to be your stylist," she told them, "it was a social experiment," she added quickly.

"A social experiment testing what?" Faith asked, as she walked in; finally starting to walk without her crutches.

"Just testing public reactions, I.e seeing how people act around you, etcetera, etcetera. Nothing that interesting," Jemima lied.

"Tell me if you discover anything interesting," Faith replied, before walking away. Leaving a slightly awkward atmosphere between the remaining four,

"we need to go," Rick said,  
"yeah we do," Erin agreed,

"bye," Jemima replied, cutting them off, leaving them slightly stunned, as she stalked upstairs to remove her make up and get into some more "Jemimally" acceptable clothing.

Xxx

"What's the matter with Gina and Mike?" Johnny muttered to Jemima as they were eating dinner, making sure that nobody could over hear their conversation.

"You're wanting an answer not a theory," she stated,

"how did you guess?" Johnny replied,

"I'll look into it,"

"what will you look into?" Harry asked, looking up from his meal, and everyone turned to look at Jemima.

"A telescope," she told them matter of factly.

"Why?" Tyler questioned,

"so I can make a comparison between professional and amateur data concerning Cepheid Variable Stars."

"Again, why?" he asked,

"because some of us," she paused, turning her gaze to Tyler, "want to be more than the village idiot."

"Jemima Anderson!" Gina bellowed,

"apologize," Mike snapped.

"What for?" She questioned, "I did nothing wrong."

"You will not call people "village idiots"," Mike told her.

"I didn't. I was never implying that Tyler was the village idiot, that was how _you _chose to interpret it," she paused, "I think you're the ones that are thinking that Tyler is an idiot, and I think it unfair that you pin blame on me for your, evidently wrong, beliefs."

Erin gasped, the entire attention of the table shifted immediately to her. She pressed her hand to her stomach, "the baby's kicking," she told them, and she found herself being crowded with people wanting to feel the baby kick.

"Let's go upstairs," Robbie whispered to Ari, who nodded, not looking at him; her eyes instead fixed straight ahead; unseeing.

"What's Ari's problem?" Johnny questioned, though not cruelly, as he watched her receding figure.

"Long story that even if it was short, it still wouldn't be my place to tell you," the Welsh girl told him.

"How do you know?" He asked, before sighing, "ok stupid question, that's pretty obvious."

"You go running tomorrow morning," Jem stated,

"um... yes, tomorrow's Sunday, so yes," he replied,

"I'm coming with you," she told him, _because I will know all the answers by then_, she added mentally and Johnny nodded.

"Ok."

Xxx

**M – Trigger Warning: Thoughts about self harm, exploring the aftermath of sexual assault**

"God, why is this affecting me so much?" Ari snapped, when they reached her room; the room that they had temporarily shared, but now Robbie had moved into Frank's old room.

"Ari, it is only natural..."

"but it's stupid," she whined, "and not fair. Before the dumping ground my life was shit, and now it is finally good again but the shit still haunts every corner. Ruining the good stuff," Robbie stepped forward to hug Ari, she stepped away; just like his Mum used to do.

"Ari," he said,

"no, just leave I need to be alone, or with Sam, or alone with Sam, I don't know..." she sunk her head into her hands, "I can't do this right now..."

"I'll be downstairs," he told her politely, and Ari nodded, though in her mind all she could think about was shoving him against the wall and kissing him senseless.

_God, _Ari thought, _I'm a lesbian and he's a guy... he's Robbie... he's my best friend. I shouldn't want to do that, I shouldn't be putting momentary needs before my own beliefs and self. But... I just want to feel something, something other than this stupid fucking pain; I just want to feel good and escape from this painfully unfair world. Is that too much to ask?_

"Ari, are you ok?" Robbie questioned,

"I can look after myself," she lied, before quickly rushing into her room and closing the door.

_I need to feel something. Anything. _

The obvious solution was pain, but she knew that this feeling would pass but the scars would be left; a blinding reminder of her weakness... a reminder to be seen by everyone: Social Workers, people at school, Sam... How it would hurt Sam to see scars, she would blame herself... Ari discarded that idea.

_I need something that no one will be able to see. Something with no repercussions; nothing that can pull me down in the good times. _

She strode to her wardrobe, flung open the doors and stared at the clothes. She snatched out a dress: short, slutty, black. Before grabbing a scarily tall pair of high heels that used to belong to Symphony.

She could pull them on, do her make up, make herself look older; sneak out; get drunk; flirt with a guy and allow him to fuck her senseless in a dark back alley...

_God, what is with me today and wanting to fuck guys? _Ari wondered, before her mind snapping to the simple solution that she wanted pleasure from the gender that caused her the original pain.

It would be quick, then she could leave...

but she couldn't.

If she went out and fucked a stranger then it would ruin everything else; she would lose her girlfriend and consequently her best friend.

Plus a drunk stranger in an alley was hardly going to listen to her needs...

And they were hardly going to stop if she wanted – or if she needed – to stop.

All the solutions seemed to have the same bad outcome, and would just succeed in making her situation worse.

She collapsed onto her bed, the idea of phoning Sam briefly flicked through her mind, before immediately realising it was a bad idea; Sam did not deserve to have her virginity torn from as suddenly as it had happened for Ari, and Ari didn't want to put Sam in that position; she wanted Sam to be safe, and not feel pressured to rush into things she wasn't ready for.

And she especially didn't want to be the one who pushed Sam into unforgivable things, and hurt her in the same way she had been so cruelly hurt.

She lay on her bed wanting to cry, wanting to scream; but her throat was dry and no tears would fall.

Ari lay there, feeling the silent throbbing inside of her; the throbbing that was not going to recede.

She ran her fingers down her body; like nimble feet on a ladder.

Maybe she would be able to make herself scream.

**End of M**

Xxx

The next morning Johnny found that Jemima had beaten him downstairs; she was already outside, stretching.

"Hi," Jemima said, not looking at him.

"Hi," he echoed, copying the Welsh girl's actions.

"Do you have anywhere in particular that you want to go?" Johnny asked, Jemima sent him a look, "oh of course you have something planned."

"When don't I have something planned?" she questioned, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

"There's a first time for everything," he replied, and she laughed.

"Nope, me unprepared? That's _never _going to happen."

"Do you want to lead the way?" Johnny asked her, even though he knew the answer.

"Why do you supposedly ordinary people insist of asking me such pointless questions?" Jemima wondered,

"I don't know," he replied, "you should do a study about it."

"Yeah, I should."

Xxx

"Where's Jemima?" Mike asked at breakfast,

"she went running with Johnny," Tyler replied,

"oh is that what people call it these days," Jack shot back, smirking.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, and all the teens shared an awkward glance before finding their cereal incredibly interesting.

"Where's Arietta?" Mo suddenly said, breaking the silence. Everyone looked around, most people admitted they had not seen her.

"Would you like me to see if she's still asleep?" Robbie asked,

"that's sounds like a good idea," Mike told him, and the teen boy left the table and went up to Ari's room; almost fearing what he might find.

Xxx

"So... what did you find?" Johnny questioned, the two of them were sat on top of a picnic bench, that was still wet from the morning condensation. Jemima was silent for a moment,

"St John's is reopening," she told him, "they may," she fixed him a look, before continuing, "or may not have received an anonymous tip off claiming that the entire case was a set up."

"It wasn't me," he told her quickly, slightly worried by what he imagined was an accusation. Jem laughed,

"I know," she replied, confusion flooded his face,

"it was you!" he exclaimed, "you gave them the tip off!"

"I am neither going to deny nor admit to that," she replied.

"But it was you," he added,

"I just wanted to make things better for everyone else," she admitted, voice small, eyes not meeting his.

Johnny couldn't help but smile, wishing that he got to see more of Jemima's kind and caring side.

"Thank you," he said after a second, before awkwardly pecking her on the cheek.

The moment hung for a few seconds, "and here we conclude the good news," she declared; the usual Jemima back.

"Meaning it is only going down hill from here... theoretically speaking," he added, before Jemima could start making comments about height above sea level and how the park was actually relatively low lying.

"Gina's leaving, Elmtree is closing, Kitty's is potentially getting fostered, Floss will be arriving and it's my birthday soon," she recited, quicker than most people would consider humanly possible.

"What?!" Johnny exclaimed, partially because he couldn't believe what he was hearing and secondly because he wasn't able to understand the jumbled mess of words Jemima had produced.

Jemima took a deep breath, "Gina is leaving the Dumping Ground, she needs to pay for care home fees for her Mum, but can't pay for it unless she gets a pay rise. So consequently she has had to take a job as a head care worker elsewhere."

"Are you certain?" Johnny questioned,

"I've seen the emails to and from the Council," Jemima cited.

"What about the other stuff?" Johnny asked,

"Elmtree is closing," Jem replied,

"WHAT!?"

"Elmtree is being closed, the council are demolishing it and selling the land. It is being turned into flats..."

"what's going to happen to us?" he interrupted,

"they have bought us a new house," she replied, "Ashdene Ridge; nearly all of us are going to be moving there..."

"nearly all of us?"

"Which moves me onto my next point," Jemima said.

"Kitty's brother has contacted the Social Worker, and Mike, with intention of fostering Kitty."  
"Good for Kitty..." Johnny commented,

"and there is a new girl called Floss, she will be arriving before we leave."

"How old is she?"

"7, she's been in care since she was 1 and a half."

"Guessing you've been doing your research already,"

"of course," the Welsh girl replied, "what else would I do?"

"Do your make up? Straighten your hair?" Johnny joked, and Jemima shoved him off the table.

He stumbled to his feet and pulled her off the table as well laughing, "what was the last one?" he questioned, Jemima looked sheepish, "Jem," he said, voice wheedling.

"It's nearly my birthday," she admitted, "the 12th."

"The 12th of February?"

"No, the 12th Commandment," she replied sarcastically,

"there are only 10 commandments," he pointed out,

"shut up, only I am allowed to be smart."

"Oh, are there laws about it?" Johnny questioned.

"The law is only a rough guideline of social acceptance," she shot back,

"so I'm allowed to be smart too?"

"No, shut up,"

"no chance," he replied.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Yes," he told her, a challenge which Jemima answered by kissing him.

She pulled away a few seconds later, "I won," she told him, and Johnny made no effort to complain.

Xxx

"Ari," Robbie called, knocking on her door, feeling slightly anxious when he was met by now reply.

"Ari," he repeated, he waited a few seconds before pushing the door open.

Sunlight streamed through the curtains, and Ari lay on top of her bed. Still in yesterday's clothing, sucking on her fingers in her sleep.

"Ari," he tried again, feeling less worried.

"Mmm... what?" she mumbled,

"it's breakfast time," he told her,

"well tell it to fuck off," she replied smiling, sitting up and stretching. Before smoothing down her skirt which had bunched up round her hips in her sleep.

"Someone's in a good mood," Robbie observed, "good night's sleep?" He guessed,

"you could say that," she told him, voice dancing. Before rubbing her eyes, and making her make up even more smudged.

"You look like a panda," he commented, she turned to him,

"is it cos I is Chinese," she screeched,

"call the cops, Arietta's gone insane," he replied, leaving the room.

"I went insane a long time ago!" Ari yelled after him as he made his way down the hall, and Robbie could help but nod in agreement with his strange, strange friend.

**Well this was surprising; a long chapter, and also a quick update. Now tomorrow I will have to catch up on all the homework and revision that I should have done today.**

**Please review xxx**


	50. Happy First Birthday Boss

**Welcome to Chapter 50. I know right; 50! **

**I have written 50 chapters!**

**50 chapters in one year.**

**Not bad considering I start my GCSEs in just under 50 days... I'm more than a little screwed.**

**Thank you for your amazing support over the course of the last year: Candy-Apple14, Camogirl14 and C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7. **

**And Cookie05, thank you for two years of support. Starting with A Fresh Start... Can you believe it has been two years since I created Immy? I actually can, because that story was more than a little rubbish.**

**Anyway thank you for sticking with this story through hiatuses, writer's block and early (retrospectively) bad chapters.**

**I hope you continue to enjoy my work and stay with this story till the very end (whenever that may be...)**

"Why haven't they told us yet!?" Johnny exclaimed, Jemima looked up,

"well they have mentioned to Kitty about the potential fostering," she replied, before returning her attention to a book that appeared to be in French.

"The other stuff is important too," he pointed out,

"actually it is more important," she corrected.

"So why haven't they told us?"

"There are some actions – or lack of them – that are unexplainable by science, philosophy or common sense," she replied.

"We could confront them about it," Johnny mused,

"and consequently end up being punished, since they would presume that we had read information that was not meant for us," she explained.

It had been over two weeks since Jemima had revealed the information to Johnny, yet it still hadn't been mentioned.

"I can't believe they haven't even mentioned the school thing," he complained,

"well in their defence they don't know yet," she replied,

"so..."

"hacked the local authority," she admitted.

"Jem!"

"What?" She questioned, "if they didn't want people to have a poke around, then they should have made their systems a bit less simple."

"So..." Johnny started, changing the topic, knowing that there was little that could be gained from questioning the actions and the morals of Jemima Anderson. "It's your birthday tomorrow, right?"

"It's nothing special," she replied, "just another date on the calender," she paused, before laughing at Johnny's expression.

"Just do what you're going to do," she told him before walking away.

Xxx

"I think that could be a good plan," Ari started, "if you removed the word _surprise _from the sentence."

"Would Jemima really want a _surprise_ birthday party?" Erin questioned, "I mean it's hardly her scene."

"Yeah, cos you actually know Jem?" Johnny snapped back,

"and you do?" Kitty pointed out, and Johnny hated to admit to how true Kitty's statement was.

"Will there be cookies?" Jody wondered,

"yes," Johnny told her,

"I'm in," she yelled,

"so am I," Tyler agreed,

"me too!" Jack shouted, and everyone turned to stare at him, "do ya really think I have time for that Welsh bitch?" he asked, before leaving the room and Bailey following him.

"So surprise birthday party," Robbie said, breaking the silence,

"birthday party," Arietta corrected, "Jemima knows everything about everyone, that's why her hair is so curly. It's full of secrets," she paused, waiting for everyone to get her Mean Girls reference, but found herself disappointed by the lack of response. _Where's Sam when I need her to laugh at my bad jokes? _She questioned inwardly, before turning her attention to the room. "Jemima will know what we are planning, hence why it won't be a surprise."

"Well, surprise or no surprise, I'm in," Faith commented,

"Jeff will help," Harry piped up,

"I'll help," Tee added.

"I guess..." Rick started, looking to Erin, who grudgingly nodded, "I guess we can help," he told them.

"Is that a yes from everyone?" Johnny asked, everyone nodded or made some vague noise of agreement. "Ok," he lowered his voice, "this is the plan of action."

Xxx

But this was the Dumping Ground; their breakfast plans were ruined by Jemima leaving earlier than usual for school, claiming she had a project to work on. A phone call from the council meant that Mike was late picking them up, so consequently Jemima had barricaded herself in her room before they had a chance to plan for her arrival.

But they persevered, and eventually everything started falling into place.

People were chaotically rushing around, attempting to plan a party but struggling due to the lack of order that Jemima usually controlled.

But they were managing, well kind of managing and Johnny couldn't help but be slightly pleased with how the afternoon was going, then he went to go and fetch something from the coal bunker and came back to discover that everything had fallen to shit.

Like usual.

"Jem," Johnny started reproachfully, "what are you doing?"

"I staged an intervention," she replied, matter of factly, "they were not working to an acceptable standard or efficiency."

"Jemima," Johnny snapped, "you can't organise your own _surprise _birthday party."

"Why not?" She questioned, tone demanding.

"Because it is meant to be a surprise," he explained, she paused for a moment, analysing the information.

"Surprises are pointless," she concluded,

"well I'm sorry that I bothered," he snapped, "I was just deluded enough to think that _you _might appreciate it."

"I do," she said, a little too quickly, "appreciate it," she paused, mask slipping slightly, sincerity filling her voice, "I really do Johnny."

She was a silent for a moment, when she finally started speaking again her voice was small, "if you want me to stop taking control..."

Johnny shook his head, anger fading, "you wouldn't be Jemima if you weren't taking control, after all," he paused to laugh, "you could plan a party better than me, even your own surprise party."

"Thanks," she mumbled, staring at her feet.

"What are you doing?" Johnny demanded, "I don't believe you are being very efficient... boss."

Jemima was silent for a moment, "your effort is minimal," she yelled into the kitchen, before stalking in there, "use some bloody elbow grease."

"No Tyler it is an expression, and sweat is not acceptable replacement," she yelled, leaving Johnny alone in the hallway, smiling.

Xxx

"So Jemima basically planned her own surprise birthday party," Sam commented,

"more or less," Ari replied, focusing her attention onto her eyeliner before smiling at the finished result. She then picked up her lipstick,

"wait," Sam said, leaning across to kiss Ari, "what?" she asked, when she pulled away, "I don't want to kiss you after you put the lipstick on, and end up smudging it."

"So considerate," the Chinese girl replied, the blonde girl waited as her girlfriend did her makeup. Before grabbing her hand, and pulling her downstairs.

"Took your time," Tyler commented, as Ari and Sam took their positions, behind the sofa and pool table, respectively.

Less than a minute later Johnny led Jemima inside, "SURPRISE!" Everyone yelled, and Jemima faked amazement, and pretended that she hadn't been responsible for bringing everything together.

"I can't believe this only your first birthday at the Dumping Ground," Johnny commented some time later, around the point where all the cake had been eaten, where Jack and Bailey had headed off to play football and Tyler had brought out Twister.

"It feels like you've been here for... well... forever," Johnny commented,

"is that a good thing?" Jemima asked, before readjusting the birthday crown that Mo had donated for the evening; claiming it was a priceless piece of treasure.

"I think it is," he told her,

"my evidence," she started, "concludes that it is."

"Ok," Johnny replied. He paused for a moment, "happy birthday," he said, before kissing her, he pulled away, then smirked, "...boss."

**Ok, short but relatively sweet chapter to celebrate the first birthday of this fanfic, and Jemima's first dumping ground birthday.**

**Please review xxx**


	51. Stop The Cycle

**Author's Note**

I am sorry this is not a chapter, I just had to write this.

At the moment, I can not continue Our Time To Shine, because of my upcoming exams and secondly, because of a personal situation that I have only just been made aware of. Which means that I do not feel that it is right, at this moment in time to continue the story.

I am sorry, because I feel like I am letting you down and I am letting you down, and myself down by not continuing.

I will try and continue it at some point, but we may be talking a matter of months, so I apologise.

In the meanwhile, be happy, be strong and remember that I love you, my readers.

Thank you Cookie05, Candy-Apple14, Camogirl14 and C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for supporting for so long.

Hopefully we will meet again,

Wall With A Fez AKA Rachel xxx

20/04/2015

**Chapter 51**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing **

**Thank you Thatcreepygirl for adding this story to favourites**

**All your reviews were really sweet, and I am glad that you are all enjoying this story so much.**

**Ok, so I am back only two months later, I have done 20 of my exams, only 4 to go. **

**I hope you are still interested in this story, because I am. I have been thinking about it a lot, and now I am in a position where I feel that I can carry on with this story.**

**So I will do, hope you enjoy xxx**

**Previously in the story it was Jemima's birthday.**

"What is up with you losers and parties?" Jack snapped,

"celebrating momentary happiness, because life is shit," Jemima replied,

"cheer up," Tyler commented, picking up on her bad mood, "it's a party not a funeral."

Jemima didn't laugh, like he had intended, instead the girl grabbed him and pushed him on to the sofa.

"Whoa, crazy bitch in the room," Jack commented, before clutching his cheek, staring at the Welsh girl who had slapped him. "What is ya fucking problem!" he yelled at her, shoving her backwards, and in response she spun round and shoved her elbow into his stomach.

"Mike!" Tyler yelled, in the midst of what had quickly become a fight between Jack and Jem: Jack pushed her into sofa, before grabbing her hair, while Jemima bit his arm and pushed him to the ground. He kicked her and causing her to fall over. Within seconds they were both on their feet, circling each other like lions.

Jack struck first, and Jem ducked, before using his lack of defence to ram into him; she caught him off guard, and he stumbled backgrounds before hitting out and striking her face. She was in shock for a moment, before punching him square in the face and he crashed into the table, knocking the glasses.

Jemima's attention faded from the fight, instead she was transfixed by the falling glass that smashed upon the ground. She watched the shards of glass fly, the sense of helplessness pinning her to the spot. She didn't notice her surroundings till Jack kicked her legs, causing her to collapse to the ground only millimetres from the broken glass.

It was around this point that Mike ran in, "what happened here?!" he yelled, Jemima said nothing; having barely noticed his presence. "Jack? Tyler? Jemima?"

"That bitch attacked me," Jack commented,

"do not call..." Mike started,

"ok," he snarled back, "that Welsh harpy attacked me."

"Me too," Tyler added,

"Jemima," Mike said, "Jemima," he repeated. "Jack, get Gina,"

"but I am injured!"

"get Gina, then wait in the Office," Mike replied, tone authoritative, before turning his attention to Jemima. "Jemima, can you hear me?"

"I'm not deaf," she told him, her dazed state starting to fade. Mike offered her a hand, which she refused and they made their way to the office.

"Why did no one invite me to the massacre?" Bailey commented, as he walked past them,

"probably cos I would have crushed you," Jem snapped, voice cracked.

"Mike, what's going on..." Gina started, upon seeing Jemima's bloodied face and arms.

"There was a fight," he explained, "I'll deal with Jack," he told her, leaving Jemima with her.

"Come on babes," Gina said, "we'll get you patched up."

Xxx

"Rick," Erin said sticking her head round his door,

"don't look," he replied immediately,

"um why..."

"it's a surprise," he snapped, shoving everything he had been doing under his bed. "Ok, you can come in now."

Erin walked in, "what were you doing?" she asked,

"it's a surprise," he replied, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"So Valentines Day Party," Erin started grinning at her boyfriend, "do you want to come with me?"

"Sorry, I'm going with Tyler," Rick joked, while Erin gave a look of mock-horror.

"Well, I'll just go with..." Erin paused, for dramatic effect, "Arietta. Never needed you anyway Rick."

"Of course I'll go with you Miss Walker; it will be a honour," he told her,

"no, no, no," she replied, looking away, "you can go with Tyler, I will be perfectly happy with Arietta. Actually I will be happier," she corrected.

"Your words wound me," he declared, pressing his hands to his chest, wounded look on his face.

"Get Tyler to kiss you better," she shot back, grinning.

"I would much rather kiss you," he replied,  
"well I would rather..." she paused, wrinkling her nose at the thought of kissing Ari, "yeah..." she admitted, "I would rather kiss you."

"So is that a yes?" Rick questioned,

"yes," Erin replied, nodding.

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, Erin leaning against Rick, while he stroked her hair.

"What were you doing?" Erin tried again, he looked away, blushing slightly. "Rick..."

"I write letters to the baby," he admitted, ducking his head, so not to see Erin's reaction.

"You are going to be a great Dad," she commented,

"really?" Rick asked, looking up at her,

"yes."

Xxx

Jemima had been patched up, and after a lecture from Mike, where he had docked her monthly allowance (not that she really cared, it was a meagre amount, and Melanie was incredibly generous so she wouldn't be missing very it much – especially since 96% of it went straight into her savings account). He had then proceeded to make a comment about how she would have some lovely bruises for tomorrow's party, and then he set her extra chores;

Something that did bother Jemima Anderson.

Especially when it clashed so horrifically with her schedule.

The first task she had been set was washing; a task so historically, and stereotypically feminine, that even the idea of it made her feel slightly nauseous.

It was when she was hanging up the washing that Jack approached her; his cheek a little on the red side, Jemima was still debating whether that was because of her slap, her punch or the ice pack, when he spoke.

"You're meant to apologise to me," he snapped, crossing his arms, as if he was an indignant toddler rather than a teenager.

"Why?" Jemima questioned, "I was right."

"No, you were out of – fucking – order," he spat but he was cut off just before he could be finished, by a notebook being shoved in his face. It was not Jemima's usual notebook, but a smaller one, containing a different kind of information; case studies... almost.

Jack paled, his eyes wider than usual. "How...?" he stuttered,

"research," she told him, taking the notebook off of him.

"What..."

"nothing," she replied, putting it in her pocket.

"I didn't finish,"

"you were going to ask what I was going to do with the information," she stated, he nodded dumbly, "and the answer is nothing. I am not going to give it out to anyone else, nor sell it on to a third party, or use it for malicious intent."

"So you are not gonna tell anyone about the... thing," he asked,

"no I'm not."

"But... why?"

"I crave information," she told him simply, "which means, for you, your secret will remain buried," she paused, "just like my past."

"What's so bad about your past?" Jack asked,

"it will remain buried," she told him calmly.

"Is that why you attacked me earlier?"

"What?! Childhood trauma!" She snapped, sarcasm laced in her voice.

"I could understand that," he replied, tone deep and humourless.

"Not surprising when you consider what parents and society are like..." Jemima trailed off, noticing Johnny standing on the patio watching them, then noticing her own surprise that she had been so unobservant. "Finish hanging up the washing," she commanded,

"but it's your punishment!"

"Well I delegate it to you, feel privileged," she shouted over her shoulder, as she made her way across the lawn to Johnny.

"So you are now best friends with the guy you punched in the face," Johnny commented,

"nope, I just showed him a piece of my mind," she replied.

"The expression is: gave a piece of your mind," Johnny said, picking up upon her apparent mistake.

"Yes, I know. However, I believe that term is misleading. The adjective "give, giving, gave" implies that I provided him with something that was not returned, so I would have lost a piece of my mind. Instead I showed him a piece of my mind, and instead of losing anything, I gained."

When she stopped she noticed that Johnny was doing his face that looked halfway between impressed, constipated and amused. "You don't need to analyse _everything_."

"Yes I do."

Johnny snorted slightly, and Jem sat down on the bench next to him, before falling into an easy silence.

"You know Tee's annoyed at you for turning on Tyler," Johnny commented,

"I did not know, however I did suspect it from Tee's passive-aggressive behaviour, and from previous research."

"Stalker,"

"intense researcher," she corrected.

"I know it's all soppy and stupid," Johnny started, a moment later, turning to face her, "but do you want to go to the Valentines party with me?"

"I don't want to go to the party," she told him, voice slow, "but if I was going to go then you would be my first choice for company."

"Why don't you want to..." Johnny trailed off, before realisation smothered his features. "Two days after your birthday."

"You're getting observant," she commented, pulling her knees to her chest.

"Sorry," he apologised, "I forgot."

"It's ok," she replied, almost immediately, "you're only human. I wasn't expecting to you to remember that tomorrow is five years since the day my Mum died."

"Is there anything you would want to do instead?" Johnny asked, "like visit a certain place?"

"I would say visit her grave, but Cardiff is approximately 320 miles away," she commented.

"Ari and Sam went to London before Christmas," he pointed out.

"That is less than 300 miles away..."  
"still... and Erin and Rick went to that place beginning with L, before you arrived."

"Lymington, which is about 350 miles away, but they didn't ask permission. They just went missing," Jem pointed out.

"Ok, so Cardiff isn't an option then,"

"no it isn't."

"Is there anything else?"

Jemima studied his face for moment, his desperation to please etched onto his features, along with an earnest expression. She smirked, and a second later laughed. Confusion filled his face.

"You're too cute!" She exclaimed,

"I'm not cute," he argued, pouting slightly, "and I was being serious."

"I know," she replied honestly, "and I'm grateful..." her facial expression shifted, her eyes hardened, and tone lowered to a serious note, "it's nice having someone who will look out for me," she told him.

"Oi! Why am I doing ya fuckin chores!?" Jack yelled from across the garden, smashing the moment like a watch with a sledgehammer. Jem sighed, getting to her feet and making her way over to the washing line, while Jack strode off in the other direction.

"You know you were asking if there was anything else," Jem called back to Johnny,

"no chance," he yelled back, walking off.

Xxx

"Will you go to the valentines day party with me?" Tyler asked, as they were playing pool.

"Yes," Robbie replied,

"I was asking Tee," the other boy replied,

"damn," he commented, shaking his fist with mock anger.

"Yes," Tee said, though still laughing at Robbie.

"So is it like a thing that people have to invite other people?" Robbie questioned,

"well you don't have to to, but most people do," Tee explained.

"So you two are going together, Sarietta Postbox are going together..."

"Sarietta Postbox?" Tyler questioned,

"Sam and Ari's ship name," Robbie stated, as if it was obvious (though it kind of was), "Erin and Rick, probably Johnny and Jemima."

Tee groaned at the mention of the Welsh girl, and Tyler nodded in agreement.

"Anyone else?"

"Bailey and himself," Tee stated, "since he is so in love with himself."

"No need to bring out the sass, Tee," Robbie warned jokingly.

"So the girls that are free would be Kitty or Faith," Tyler pointed out, "or Gina," he added.

"Yep, Gina, I'll go with Gina," he replied, laughing, and he looked up to see Jack, who was walking past and shot Robbie an odd look. Robbie raised his eyebrows in reply, smirking slightly.

"I think her husband might complain about that," Tyler told him,

"and I think it's illegal," Tee added.

Xxx

It was break time the next day when Sam managed to find Ari, who was staring blankly into space.

"Happy day-of-consumerist-crap-and-romanticised-clichés," Sam greeted, taking a seat next to her girlfriend.

"Hi," Ari was able to reply, what seemed hours later.

"If you want to talk abou..." Arietta shook her head, cutting her off. Standing up abruptly,

"I need..." she started, and Sam nodded, watching her girlfriend's retreating figure across the playground.

"Wait!" The blonde yelled, taking off after her girlfriend. Ari turned round to face Sam who responded by taking off her hoodie and handing it to Ari. "It's cold," she explained, "don't get cold."

Arietta smiled slightly, putting on the hoodie and watching as Sam headed back inside.

Xxx

There were many things that were associated with Jemima Anderson; being unobservant was not one of those things; in fact it was usually the complete opposite.

However today was not an ordinary day, and Jemima had forgotten to answer to the register. Had not paid any attention to the lessons, and hadn't even corrected teachers; or even talked, for that matter.

Instead she had sat quietly in her seat, writing in her notebook.

When teachers pulled her over at the end of class to ask what was wrong, she used the fewest number of words possible to explain that she was fine, and when the teachers tried to dig deeper, she clammed up and eventually they had given in, and just sent her on to her next lesson.

It was after school, when they arrived home that people started noticing.

"Jem, how am I meant to organise this?"

"Jem, who is sorting out the food?"

"Where are the decorations?"

People kept bombarding her with questions.

"Why do you keep asking me?" she finally snapped,

"cos you're the one organising it," Jody pointed out.

"No, I'm not."

"Why not?" Tee asked, crossing her arms.

"Because I don't want to," the Welsh girl replied,

"the whole world doesn't revolve around you," Tee snapped, reaching the end of the tether; after all Jemima's behaviour over the last few days had been really getting to her.

"I know, this planet does not revolve around me. It revolves around the sun, and I'm not stupid enough to believe that it revolves around some fictional being..."

"How about being a little less offensive, and a bit more accepting," Faith suggested.

"Ok Faith, you sort this party out, I'm having nothing to do with it."

And with that Jemima Anderson stormed upstairs to her bedroom.

"What's her problem?" Tyler questioned,

"it's not fair to expect her to organise _every _party," Johnny pointed out, "only two days ago she organised her own _surprise _party."

"But she likes organising parties," Mo said, "that's what she said."

"Well maybe she's just not in the mood for it," he replied.

"So... what's up with Welshie then?" Jack questioned, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl.

"I don't know," Johnny lied.

"Something from the past?" Jack guessed,

"he said he didn't know," Kitty pointed out.

"I think we should start getting everything ready," Faith suggested,

"yeah," Rick agreed.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"So who's doing what?"

Everyone remained silent.

"Well, I'm going to see Sam," Ari said, breaking the silence.

"How is that helpful?" Erin asked,

"I never said it was," she replied cheerfully.

Xxx

"Arietta!" Lynne exclaimed, as she opened the door,

"hi, is Sam in?"

"Yes, yes, come in," she gushed, letting Ari into the house.

"So are you two doing anything special for Valentine's Day?" Lynne questioned,

"well, we are having a dumping ground party..."

"_another_ one," she interjected, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah," Ari nodded, "_another _one."

"Samantha," Lynne yelled up the stairs, "your girlfriend is here!"

There was silence for a moment, before feet thundering on the floor above, and down the stairs.

"Ari!" Sam exclaimed, grinning,

"I was just going to put the kettle on," Lynne said, she turned to Ari, "do you want a cup?"

"Yes please," Sam replied,

"I was asking Arietta, not you, because I already knew your answer; it's always yes!"

"Yes please," Ari replied smiling.

Sam's grandmother wandered off into the kitchen to make the tea, leaving Ari and Sam.

"Are you ok?" Sam questioned after a moment,

"I am now, I was just having a bad day," she paused, "I didn't get much sleep; kept having nightmares."

Sam grimaced, "what's the matter?" Ari asked.

"I just wish that you didn't have to..." she stopped, searching for a word, "wish you didn't have to relive the past."

"I had three panic attacks," Ari admitted, hanging her head slightly.

"It's not your fault,"

"but it's in my head," she snapped, frustration ringing through her voice, "if it's in _my _head why can't I control it?"

"Humans were not made to be able to control it," Sam told her softly, "we just have to live with it. Pull through. Strong like an Amazon."

Arietta smiled weakly, "you do know you can call me any time?" Sam asked,

"even..." Ari started,

"even three in the morning," the blonde finished, blue eyes serious.

There was silence for a moment, Ari clutching Sam's hands, as if afraid to let go.

A couple of moments later the grip lessened, and the dark cloud had passed from Ari's face.

"So, I brought your hoodie back," she started, smiling.

"I have a feeling this is going somewhere..." Sam replied, Ari just laughed,

"and I thought,"

"never a good sign," the blonde interjected, and then squeaking in protest when Ari's bony elbow collided with her ribs.

"Samantha Carter, can you let me finish?" She questioned, hands on her hips,

"no."

"Stop it," she warned playfully,

"nope."

"What is my granddaughter doing?" Lynne shouted from the kitchen,

"just being annoying," Ari replied,

"just like normal then," she shot back.

"Rude!" Sam exclaimed, "I am delightful."

Ari raised her eyebrows in disbelief,

"you're just in denial," Sam replied.

"No dear, that's in Egypt," Ari stated, as she walked into the kitchen.

"Biscuit?" Lynne offered, pushing the tin under Ari's nose.

"Yes please," Sam said, taking the biscuit.

"Did no one teach you to be polite to guests?" Her Grandmother questioned,

"Ari's not a guest," Sam pointed out, "she's family."

"Yeah," Ari agreed as she took a biscuit, "I'm just a bit of a different colour from you lot."

Xxx

"So what was this idea that you were suggesting?" Sam asked, a cup of tea and three biscuits later.

"Well, you know there is a party at the dumping ground," Ari started,

"are we going?"

"yes," she told her, "but I was thinking that for fun we could swap clothes. Like, I could be all butch and you could be super femme."

"I could do your hair!" Lynne exclaimed, clapping her hands together, "and your makeup."

"That's a terrible idea," Sam replied, "you are not going near my hair, or face, with instruments of torture."

"Lip gloss has never killed anyone," Ari told her,

"well actually..." Sam went to correct her,

"don't go all Jemima on me," she replied, raising her finger, indicating that the blonde girl must remain silent.

"Ok," Sam groaned, "if you insist."

Xxx

Johnny knocked on Jemima's door, hoping that he could talk to her, see if she was ok.

"Cachau bant," she yelled from inside the room, Johnny opened the door.

"What?" He questioned,

"I think it was pretty self explanatory," she snapped,

"you shouted something at me," he told her,

"I... oh..." she paused, looking a bit sheepish, "did I say "Cachau bant"?"

"Yes," Johnny confirmed,

"right, that's Welsh," she explained.

"You know Welsh?" he asked, as he closed the door, and sat down next to her own the floor.

"Of course, I am Welsh," she pointed out.

"But I thought it was a dead language..."

"In 2011 19% of the Welsh population said that they could speak Welsh," Jemima quoted.

"How do you know it?" Johnny questioned,

"well my Mum grew up in Anglesey, which was and still is, the stronghold of the Welsh language. So when I was little she talked to me in both English and Welsh, so I learnt it that way. Then when I lived with Melanie she encouraged me to read Welsh literature, and I'm taking second language Welsh GCSE this year."

"You're taking a GCSE this year!" Johnny exclaimed, "you never mentioned that."

"Didn't I? Well it's hardly relevant, and I'm taking maths too, my school insisted," she told him, as if making a comment about the weather.

"You are unbelievable sometimes!"

"Is that a compliment?" Jemima questioned,

"I..." Johnny paused for a second, trying to work out whether it was a compliment or not, "don't know," he finished lamely.

Jem laughed slightly, while Johnny thought for a couple of moments.

"I know I asked yesterday, but is there anything that you want to do? Or I could do for you?" Johnny asked.

"Stop the cycle," she told him suddenly.

"What?"

"Tonight we are going out. I'll get the bleach, you need to get a bottle of water and a glass."

Xxx

"Ellen Page has just come out," Ari stated, as she scrolled through Twitter on her phone.

"Who?" Sam questioned, tearing her eyes away from her reflection.

"Some actress; cute, Canadian, a lesbian," she elaborated. She paused looking down at the remainder of the outfit that Sam had laid out for her, "Sam, how to you tie a tie?"

Sam pulled herself away from the mirror, and sat down on the bed next to Ari.

"Look at me," she commanded, Ari turned to face her and Sam passed the slip of fabric round her neck and tying it perfectly.

Within a second Arietta was admiring herself in the mirror, "I look so good," she declared, while Sam fiddled with the blanket on her bed, nervous about her own look.

"You just wanted an excuse to dress up in my clothes," Sam stated,

"you bet!" Ari exclaimed, pulling out her phone and starting to take selfies.

Sam snorted slightly, "you and your selfies," she said, finding herself smiling.

"You find it adorable," Ari reminded her, as she shifted her angle.

"Maybe," Sam admitted.

"Would you say I look more like a hipster or a lesbian?" The Chinese girl questioned, "I mean," she continued, without giving Sam an opportunity to reply, "the looks are very similar. Well... stereotypically anyway."

She paused slightly. "_Lesbian or Hipster?_ I feel like that would be a great television show."

Sam just listened, happy to hear Ari ramble on about her mad ideas and schemes.

"Get over here," Arietta said a couple of minutes later, only about a second after finishing an incredibly one sided conversation with herself about the feeling of an exceptional key change.

"Why?" Sam asked cautiously,

"it's our first Valentine's day-of-consumerist-crap-and-romanticised-clichés and we should take pictures for posterity," Ari stated, Sam found herself surprised that her girlfriend had reminded her word for word definition.

"Plus," Ari added, "you look really cute today."

"I look cute everyday," Sam joked,

"true."

Xxx

Back at Elmtree House everything was a bit of a mess, well quite a lot of a mess actually.

Especially since no one had properly taken charge after Jemima had stepped down, meaning that nothing was really getting down right, or well, or at all. Causing people to get stressed/annoyed/bored. So it was a welcome relief when Sam and Ari turned up, and Sam suggested just ordering pizza, while Ari, with the help of Rick set up a music system and playlist.

Within half an hour their "party" was in full swing; they were sitting on the floor eating pizza, well apart from Johnny who was gathering up spare pieces of pizza, to take upstairs to Jem.

"It's going to be so weird not living here," Kitty commented, before freezing, the room silenced.

"What do you mean?" Erin questioned,

"I..." Kitty stuttered, "it doesn't matter."

"No," Erin replied, "it does."

There was silence for a moment, and Kitty sighed realising that she had to tell them.

"My brother is fostering me," she admitted,

"when?" Johnny asked, still standing in his original position, holding the pizza meant for Jemima.

"Wednesday,"  
"this Wednesday?" Erin asked, the younger girl nodded.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Rick questioned,

"sorry," Kitty apologised, ducking her head to avoid their eyes.

"Why all the long faces?" Mike asked as he entered the room,

"I told them about me leaving," Kitty explained, Mike sighed slightly.

"Can you turn off the music?" he asked Ari, who kindly obliged. "Johnny, can you go get Jemima, and Jack can you get Gina."

The room was silent as the two boys left, the air still, the atmosphere solemn.

Within a minute Jack had reappeared with Gina, and Jemima was eating the pizza that Johnny had saved for her.

"Ok, so there are many things that we need to tell you," Mike started, looking to Gina who nodded encouragingly. "Firstly, as you know Kitty is being fostered by her brother. Secondly," he looked to Gina, "Gina will be leaving us."

Exclamations of "What?!" "No!" "How?" "Why?" Exploded throughout the room.

"Babes," Gina said, raising her hand, trying to hush the dumping ground kids, "I have had to take a job elsewhere as a head care worker, because otherwise I won't be able to afford to pay for my Mum's care."

Everyone sat in stunned silence (apart from Jemima who already knew, and was thoroughly enjoying the pizza that she was eating).

"Also..." Mike started,

"there's more!" Tee exclaimed,

"unfortunately," he replied nodding, "unfortunately we are being closed by the council, and the land is being turned into luxury flats but..." he silenced the kids before they could start talking, "we are all,"  
"apart from Kitty and Gina," Jemima input,

"yes," he said nodding, "apart from them we are moving into a new house called Ashdene Ridge."

"Where is it?" Ari asked, looking panicked, gripping onto Sam's hand like it was her lifeline.

"Don't worry it's only about ten minutes in the car from here," Mike reassured them.

"What about school?" Faith asked, "we will still be going to St Mary's?"

"No," he told her,

"you can't be serious," she declared, getting unusually angry, "Mike I am doing my A-Levels, I can't move to a third school in less than a term!"

"St John's is being reopened," Mike explained.

"Mike," Sam started, "I know I don't live here any more, but... will I be moving back to St John's?"

"I believe you will be offered a place, and it is up to you and your grandparents to decide if you want to stay at St Mary's or go back."

"Going back definitely," Sam commented, squeezing her girlfriend's hand, who smiled back weakly.

"Are you done with the news now?" Tyler questioned,

"no, I am not," Mike replied,

"seriously!" He exclaimed,

"yes. We are obviously getting a new care worker, her name is May-Li and you will get to meet her before we move. Also we are getting a new girl, her name is Floss, and we were meant to be getting her before we left, however she is going to be moving into Ashdene Ridge at the same time as us."

"How old is Floss?" Mo asked,

"she is 7," Mike responded.

"Anything else ya got to say?" Jack wondered, "has the Queen quit."

"Abdicated," Jem corrected,

"all right Welshie," Jack replied, though his original nickname for her started to seem a little bit more affectionate than before, "has the Queen abdi-what-ed?"

"Not as far as I know," Mike told him, "and no, I don't have anything else to say. Just... enjoy the party."

Xxx

Johnny lay in bed, fully clothed, trainers at the foot of his bed and the bottle of water and glass on his table.

He couldn't feel a little bit nervous; Jemima had disclosed none of her plan to him and for all he knew he could have signed up for a high security mission to steal the crown jewels (though he liked to think Jemima had more originality and imagination than to carry out such a clichéd crime).

His window sliding open (though he was thoroughly sure that he had locked it) disturbed him from his thoughts, in the darkness he couldn't see Jem but he knew it was her.

"Have you got the water and the glass?" she hissed,

"yes," he whispered,

"give them here," she commanded and he quickly passed them to her, and she started to climb down. He then pulled on his shoes and followed the Welsh girl out of the window.

The two of them made their way through the shadows, and as they reached the main road they started running; Johnny following Jemima, because he had no clue where they were going.

It was only as they slowed down that Johnny heard that Jemima was talking, "...cross referencing the co-ordinates, to suitable areas in the nearby area which also held similar infrastructure was incredibly challenging. The amount of manipulation," she looked to Johnny, "of numbers," she added for clarification, "was to a point I have never reached before, but I eventually was able to track down a bearably suitable location."

"How far away is it?" Johnny questioned, deciding to ignore Jem's talk of maths.

"2.1 miles," she told him simply, "from the next lamppost."

"How can you be so exact?" He asked,

"practise," she admitted, voice small, almost sounding ashamed.

They walked for silence through the February night, and Johnny couldn't help but regret not dressing in warmer clothing. Jemima's pace was brisk and Johnny's regret started to fade, though he had a feeling that the regret would return the second he stopped walking.

"A housing estate?" Johnny questioned, stopping slightly for the first time in over twenty minutes.

"Yes," Jem replied, "I spent my first nine years of life on a council estate, and it was where my Mum died."

She continued walking, "though Byker is not quite Ely," she commented.

"Ely?" Johnny repeated,

"area in Western Cardiff," Jem explained, "that was where I grew up, well until Mum died and I got taken into care. Then I moved to a _nicer _area of Cardiff, well that's what my foster mum called it. She always spoke about Ely with such disdain," she paused, "much like the average Cardiffian to be honest. I always liked Ely, well I guess I was too young to dislike it, too young to know any different."

She stopped.

"This way," she told Johnny, leading him down a road, then another, then another. Then towards the blocks of flats, Jem led them towards a staircase and Johnny couldn't help but feel slightly worried; he had no idea what Jemima was planning and the fact they had brought water, bleach and a glass, wasn't putting him at ease.

After climbing a couple of flights of stairs Jemima brought them to a stop,  
"Jem," Johnny started, she silenced him. He watched as she poured the bleach into the glass, before adding the water.

She paused for a second, and Johnny took a step back, and another.

Jemima took a deep breath, preparing herself then she raised the glass towards her lips.

Johnny was frozen, his brain trying to comprehend what was going on. What Jemima was doing. What Jemima was going to do.

The glass touched Jem's lips, and before she took a sip she threw the glass at the floor;

The glass smashed upon impact and the Welsh girl stared transfixed for a moment, then they heard voices drifting up from the stairs below and she snapped out of her trance.

Jem grabbed Johnny's hand and pulled him the next flight of stairs, then the next, then the next. She then pulled him into a halfway, and pretty much dragged him along its length to the stairs on the other side.

They then sprinted down the stairs, and out onto the streets below.

Where they almost immediately slowed to a walk.

"What was that?" Johnny panted,

"stopping the cycle," she explained, though her message which seemed almost cryptic to Johnny, didn't really help, "closure," she elaborated. "That was closure."

Johnny just nodded, "McDonalds!" Jem exclaimed, changing topic completely.

"Jem, it's the middle of the night it will be clo..." Johnny trailed off, as he noticed the banner in the window clearly indicating it was open 24 hours a day.

"Do you want a McFlurry?" she asked laughing,

"of course," he told her, as they made their way inside.

Xxx

"Ice cream... February... night... bad..." Johnny mumbled as they made their way up the drive to Elmtree.

"Nearly there," Jemima told him, not seemingly to bothered by the fact that Johnny was resting almost his entire weight on her.

Miraculously Jemima managed to get Johnny into his bedroom without any broken bones, or waking anyone up.

Johnny fell straight into his bed, and was asleep before he even touched the mattress.

Jemima stood there for a moment, thinking about the events of the night, thinking about how Johnny had agreed to help her unconditionally without any explanation about what they were going to do;

He trusted her.

"Thank you," she whispered into the dark room, "thank you Johnny Taylor."

**So that's the end of the chapter... finally.**

**I have been writing this chapter for over the last two weeks so I am so glad that it is finally done.**

**I will try and update soon, like within the next two weeks, because I am nearly done with my exams (only 4 to go!) **

**Anyway, if you have exams, hope they go well for you :) **

**Please review xxx**


	52. Closing Doors

**Chapter 52**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 for reviewing**

**I never intended to reach the reveal of Jack's plot arc, I just meant to write a little hint, but then I got carried away and revealed it all so... hope you enjoy it.**

The last days in Elmtree House sped by, and before anyone had had a chance to comprehend what was going on, they were packing.

"How many pairs of shoes does a girl need?" Robbie asked incredulously, staring at Ari's collection spread out across the floor; most of which he had never once seen her wear.

"You never know when they'll come in handy," Ari replied, a little stiffly.

"But have you ever actually gone scuba diving?" he questioned, picking up a pair of flippers.

"Robbie, that is beside the point," she snapped, snatching them off him.

"But do you need over forty pairs of shoes?"

"Yes," she snapped, beginning to wrap up a pair of neon green six inch stilettos.

"When will you ever wear them?"

Arietta ignored him, and Robbie took her silence as a _no_.

"Why did you even buy them in the first place?"  
"I didn't, alright," she told him, starting to wrap another pair, "they were Symphony's; all of them."

She didn't look at him, just kept wrapping the shoes, and Robbie said nothing, just grabbed a pair of shoes and started wrapping them too.

They didn't speak as they continued working, the only sound was the soft blast of demo tracks that Ari had gone through a phase of creating.

It was three tracks later, when a ballad with a lilting melody was playing, that Jemima knocked on the door.

She didn't even wait to be welcomed into the room, she just walked in, did a double take, looked at her clipboard and promptly sat on the floor; grabbing a pair of shoes and beginning to wrap them up.

"You were meant to have moved onto clothes 43 minutes, and 22 seconds ago," Jem declared, finishing wrapping the pair of shoes she was working on, and taking the next pair.

"I'm so sorry," Ari replied, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Jemima ignored her, and continued working.

They worked in silence and only 5 minutes later had they succeeded in wrapping up the last of the shoes, and Jem didn't say anything just got up a walked to her next job: Jack.

When she knocked on Jack's door she waited for his approval to open the door, "who is it?" he yelled through the door,

"Jemima," she replied,

"come in," he shouted.

Jemima entered his room, Jack was looking a little panicked though he was trying to play it off with nonchalance by lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Alright Welshie," he said, and Jem could hear the slight worry in his calm tone.

"What's the matter?" she questioned, crossing her arms.

"I'm fine," he stated, and Jem raised an eyebrow, he stayed silent but refused to meet her eyes.

"It ain't nothin to do with the move," he told her, as if believing that would put Jemima off his case. Instead she checked her clipboard,

"well I am scheduled a break, which means I have to take a break from topics relevant to the move, so..." she gestured towards Jack, "the stage is yours."

He huffed, "I am just in a thinking mood," he explained, and Jem nodded understandingly, and took a seat on his floor, giving him the time to talk on his own terms.

"I'm only gonna be here for another month and a half," he started, "but..." he paused, "I am worried."

He stopped for a moment, looking round his room at his football posters, medals, school books, his hoodie tossed across his chair – everywhere but at Jemima.

"I'm not sure," he continued, staring out of the window, "if I am worried about them finding out, or about them reacting badly, or both..."

"Going by previous data," Jem told him, "I reckon the majority of people would be ok; Arietta would be, Tee and Erin too, I imagine Robbie and Rick would be ok. I think the younger ones would be ok, and of course Jody already knows."

Jack nodded, "yeah, at, like, Christmas, Max went to talk to her about it, to explain," he wrung his hands together, and tried to keep his voice light, "oh hi Jodes, nice to see you for the first time in like 3 years. Yeah, Kelly is coming to join your shit hole of kids home, oh, and by the way, Kelly's a trannie."

Jack fell silent, not meeting Jem's gaze.

"Guessing that's what your Dad called you..." Jem started, but was cut of by Jack shaking his head.

"Mum," he told her, "that's what Mum called me." He sighed, "I guess it wasn't her fault, she always wanted a little girl, and I wasn't that. I wasn't a girl. So I wasn't good enough for her, she wanted a daughter and she kept trying to force me to..." he trailed off.

"When I told her, she chucked out all my jeans, my hoodies, my trainers... she bought me an entire new wardrobe, full of pink and full of fucking dresses. She forced me to quit football, then one day I had enough; I cut off my hair, all of it, and well... I cut some other stuff too."

Jack's fingers ghosted to the almost invisible scars, just white lines on his skin, and he stroked them slightly, grimacing.

"I nicked some of Max's clothes and headed downstairs, and Mum saw me and she flipped. She kept shouting at me, saying..." he swallowed slightly, rubbing his eyes furiously, "then she said that she didn't want to be in the house with such a sick and twisted trannie, and she walked out. Never came back, and Dad blamed me. Then when Max went to university and Dad started saying stuff, he blamed me, said it was my fucking fault that his fucking marriage had fucking fallen through, because Mum had walked the fuck out because I am a sick fucker who isn't right in the fucking head."

Jack fell silent, "then one time when Max was home, he heard, he told me to go and wait in his car and he had a fight with Dad. Then I went to live with Max, well tried to, Max is a student so consequently has next to no money and I'm under sixteen, so legally..."

"Legally, he had to adopt you and that would be time consuming and expensive," Jemima finished for him,

"so we decided, well he decided, that I had to go into care, just till I am sixteen then I can live with him," Jack paused.

He brightened a little, "then I will be able to start hormone therapy, and maybe even have surgery. Then I'll be a real guy,"

"you are a real guy," Jem stated, "what you do or do not have between your legs, does not determine your gender."

"I'm just afraid if they find out, that they'll start calling me Kelly, and I can't..." Jem nodded understandingly,

"there are only two people who I think that could have a problem with it," she responded, "but I am pretty sure I could slap some sense into Johnny Taylor if need be and Bailey... well... I don't know what I could do about him, but give me enough time and I'm sure I could formulate a suitable plan."

"Thanks Welshie," Jack replied, "but no thanks... I think."

"Do you want some help with packing?" Jem questioned, switching topic.

"If you don't mind..."

"absolutely not," she told him, smiling.

Xxx

"My back hurts, my neck hurts, my brain hurts, my little toe hurts," Erin complained, lying on her bed while Rick sat on the floor doing her packing, after she had claimed that it was his responsibility since he was the one that got her pregnant, which was consequently causing her all of this pain.

"I can't believe I have three more months of this shit," she complained, massaging her stomach, which was bigger than ever, "you better not get any bigger," she commanded, pointing at her stomach.

"I think they will inevitably get bigger," Rick told her honestly,

"don't give it any ideas," Erin stated, "otherwise it will get bigger, and I'll write you off as a bad influence."

"But it's science," Rick pointed out,

"don't care," Erin told him, glaring at him, "bad influence." She kept her expression serious for a couple of moments, before it slipped from her face. "Well at least I'm having a C-Section, I would hate to think how painful a natural birth would be," she commented.

"The pain would have been worth it," Rick told her, and his girlfriend simply glared at him.

"You," she started, "would not be the one pushing out this large _thing_ out of an inappropriately sized hole. Or the one lugging them around for nine months."

Erin paused before smirking, "I hope you realise, that when they are older, you are going to be the one on taxi duty."

"Why me?" Rick questioned,

"because I think I will have done enough of carrying it places to last me a lifetime," she replied.

"Well it isn't like we had the option where I could carry it," he pointed out,

"yeah... well... you are still the one who got me pregnant, so you are on taxi duty."

Xxx

Text from Josh:

_I am going to DIY place, would you like me to look at paint for your room or do you want to pick it out yourself? _

_J x_

Reply:

_Can I choose it myself?_

_Kitty xxx_

Text from Josh:

_Yh sure, can't wait to see you tomorrow _

Reply:

_Me too :D_

In twenty four hours Kitty Barilo would be leaving the care system for the first time since she had entered it four years previously, finally she would be moving in with her brother, like he had promised all those years ago.

In twenty four hours she would be leaving all her friends: Rick – the only one who had been there for her at Burnywood. Erin – her best friend who had been more like a sister, even though they had only been friends for six months. Tyler – who despite not understanding her at Burnywood, was now always able to make her laugh. Tee – who was sweet and a good friend.

Johnny.

Johnny Taylor, her first love, though as the weeks and months passed she began to doubt the validity of that title. To doubt whether that teenage rush of heightened of emotions was love...

But that didn't matter, he would always be special to her and there would always be a small part of her that would regret how everything had fallen apart: how she had hurt him. How she had turned her back on him, only to be surprised when he didn't come running back to her and instead started chasing the Welsh girl.

She had messed everything up between them, and with most of the others as well, as while she had managed to put most of the stuff right. There was still things that she couldn't set straight, and would never be able to set straight.

Perhaps things that if she stayed they would never be able to move past; like how she had nearly pushed Johnny to the point of suicide.

Meaning that maybe it would be best, for all of them, that she left. So that she, and the rest of them, could put that section of their life behind them as they moved to the new house, to the new part of their life.

Xxx

They didn't hold a party to celebrate Kitty leaving, instead they sat in an uncharacteristic silence as they ate their last evening meal together.

Jack and Jemima kept exchanging looks, when ever Jemima took her eyes off her notebook for more than two seconds, and Johnny was watching with a questioning look.

Erin and Rick were sat together, fingers entwined as they ate, not saying anything, but both reliving the last 8 months since they had met.

Mike and Gina were watching the kids, feeling more than a little upset; they had worked together, in Elmtree House for a number of years, and they couldn't help but feel that it was an end of an era and Gina didn't feel that she was able to comprehend how much she would miss the kids.

Ari and Sam (who had come over for the last meal) were sitting so close that they were practically sharing a chair, neither of them spoke and Ari was clutching her girlfriend's hand so hard, as if afraid that the (relatively small) distance being put between them could cause her girlfriend to disappear out of her life, into the darkness. Like so many before had done.

The rest: Robbie, Mo, Harry, Bailey, Tee, Kitty, Tyler, Faith all sat in silence, them too thinking about the future.

They were all afraid of the next part of their life; or the unknown. Not knowing where the future would take them and the people they would become.

But the Dumping Ground was a family, and no matter how far away you were and how much you had changed, they would always be there for you.

Because for them it didn't matter: they all knew (perhaps better than most) that change was inevitable and sometimes it was for the better.

They certainly hoped it would be.

The doors of Elmtree House were closing, but new adventures would be in store. Along with new friends, old friends and family at Ashdene Ridge.

**End of Part One**

**Please note Part Two, will be continued in the next chapter, it will not be an entirely new story.**

**Anyway, while the chapter was slightly short, I hope it was good :)**

**Please review xxx**


	53. Minions at Ashdene Ridge

**Our Time To Shine**

**Part Two – Ashdene Ridge**

**Chapter 53**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

"So, let's try this again," May Li suggested, as they sat on the grassy bank outside their new home, while Mike, Gina and Jemima were having an argument with the removal men. "Johnny, Tyler, Robbie..." she paused, and Robbie nodded in approval. "Mo, Harry, Bailey, Rick, Jack."

"Yep," Tyler confirmed,

"now the girls," Tee told her.

"Jemima," May Li immediately said, pointing at the Welsh girl.

"Obviously," Johnny commented, smiling slightly at the sight of her girlfriend arguing with a muscular 6'2 bloke.

"Arietta," May Li continued, "Tee, Erin, Jody, Faith, and Floss who is coming later. Was that right?" she questioned, and they all nodded in agreement.

"May Li, can we go inside?" Harry asked,

"yeah, it's mental to stay outside when it is practically freezing," Jody commented, shivering as she spoke.

"Why can't it be summer already?" Ari moaned, "February is too cold."

"Urgh, I know, right?" Erin replied,

"I'll see what I can do," May Li told the kids, standing up and approaching the other care workers (and Jem).

Everyone was silent for a few moments, waiting till she was out of earshot.

"Jeff likes her," Harry announced, breaking the silence.

"She seems nice," Tee added,

"she looks like Tamara, out of Miranda," Ari commented, and everyone turned to stare at her, "what?! It's true."

"I reckon she'll be alright," Erin stated, and Rick nodded in agreement.

"Right, I've got the keys, Mike has given us the go ahead to venture inside," May Li announced, as she made her way back to the kids.

"Finally!" Jody exclaimed, before pausing, "will I be able to get my biscuits out of the van?"

"You packed your biscuits?!" May Li asked, and Jody nodded,

"they are _very _important to me."

"Well sorry cous, but I reckon ya gonna have to wait," Jack stated, before Jody could reply, Jemima returned.

"I told them," she stated, "I told them at least 27 times, that we should make more than one journey, since it would be implausible and complicated to do the entire move into one trip, but did they listen?" She asked rhetorically,

"no," Johnny told her, and she nodded,

"no, they did not listen. Though I am strong believer in a logic, they are probably putting their brain to other uses. Consequently meaning that you are forced to outside in temperature that is barely surpassing the 3 degree mark," she ranted,

"why can't it just be summer?" Ari repeated.

"We are in England, and because of the Earth's orbit we are currently in Winter," she paused, "you should know this, you are doing GCSE Physics."

"Don't even start," she replied, "I don't get physics."

"Join the club," Robbie added,

"yeah, me too, and I'm doing my GCSEs this year," Jack pointed out.

"Um... so are we!" Ari exclaimed, "cos we not smartarses like Erin or Sam."

"Sam used to live at Elmtree House," Jemima explained to May Li, "and she is now Ari's girlfriend."

"Yeah," Ari said, smiling slightly, pride illuminating her features, "Sam's my girlfriend, and she's really clever. And when I say _really clever_ I mean _really clever_."

"Sam is above average intelligence," Jem confirmed with a small nod, and Ari grinned; glad that, in her own way, Jemima Anderson agreed with her.

"So other than Ari," May Li paused, "are you ok with Ari? Or do you prefer Arietta?"

"Ari is fine," she replied smiling,

"so other than Ari," May Li continued, "and Rick and Erin, obviously. Do any of you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend?"

Everyone immediately turned to look at Jem and Johnny.

"We know you are a _thing_," Tee started, asking the question, everyone wanted to know, "but are you a relationship _thing? _Like is it official?"

Jemima paused, "going by evidence, previous research, and my own personal – probably mutual – opinion, we are a _relationship thing, _if Johnny so wishes."

"Does that make you my girlfriend then?" Johnny asked slowly,

"if you want," the Welsh girl replied, and he said nothing just nodded.

"So anyone else?" May Li questioned, looking particularly at Jack and Faith,

"I'm focusing on school," Faith told her honestly,

"too complicated," Jack mumbled.

"Me and Tee were sort of a thing, for a while," Tyler admitted,

"yeah," Tee agreed, "but then we decided that we were better off as friends, for now."

"Fair enough," May Li replied, "you are still quite young, no point rushing into anything."

"Well... there sort of is," Ari started, before pointing out, "I mean, you never know, you could be dead tomorrow."

She stopped talking, blushing slightly, ducking her head to avoid the gaze of everyone, and trying to avoid the awkward silence that she had created.

"Right, let's get inside, out of the cold," May Li announced, and the whole group trekked inside, glad to get away from the cold and the silence.

Xxx

"Right, there is a little bit of a problem," May Li told the kids, since Gina and Mike were still outside. "There are only 11 rooms for you, but there are 14 of you, including Floss. Meaning that there will have to be 3 rooms of people sharing."

Suddenly the volume of the room exploded, and May Li had to blow a whistle to get their attention.

"Jack, Floss, Harry, Faith and Erin, will all have their own rooms," she started,

"why Jack?" Johnny questioned,

"because Jack has his GCSEs, and needs his own space," May Li half lied, she quickly continued, "legally, the people sharing have to be of the same gender, and around a similar age, hence why Harry and Floss will be having their own rooms." She paused, "are there any people who particularly want to share a room?"

Silence.

"Right; Rick, Robbie, Johnny, you three are of a similar age, which two of you are going to share?"

Silence.

"Please, bare in mind that the people who share will get first pick of the rooms," she told them, Robbie sighed and looked to Johnny, who exhaled, and nodded.

"I'll share with Johnny," Robbie announced,

"right, one down. Two to go," May Li replied, "Jemima, Tee and Ari. Who is going to share?"

There was a silence between the girls: none wanted to share. Arietta preferred the idea of sharing with Jem; after all, Jem knew her past and she wasn't ready to reveal her past to another person.

Jemima preferred Arietta, on the grounds that A. Ari would undoubtedly spend _a lot _of time at Sam's, thus providing Jem with peace and quiet, and B. she wasn't going out with Ari's brother, because if her relationship fell through with Johnny, she would hardly be over the moon (in fact, she would most likely be on Earth) and she wouldn't really be wanting to share with his sister. Plus, if she was in a room by herself, she would be more likely to be placed with a complete stranger; a risk with potential for the stakes to be high.

Tee would choose Ari, simply because she seemed like she would be a less evasive and rude room mate than the Welsh girl.

The three girls exchanged glances, while May Li waited patiently.

"I'll share with Ari," Jem suddenly announced, surprising everyone, for they were expecting her to demand her own room to protect her privacy.

"Right, now last pair. Mo, Bailey or Tyler?" she questioned,

"I'm not sharing," Bailey snapped,

"guessing we are sharing then," Mo said, grinning at the older boy, who (remarkably) didn't look thrilled at the prospect of sharing a room with him.

"I guess so," Tyler muttered.

"Right, that's all sorted then," May Li stated, "so, Arietta and Jemima, Johnny and Robbie, and Tyler and Mo, will get first choice of rooms, since you have share," May Li dictated, while the others grumbled about wanting first pick, "if you want a better room, you can always share," she pointed out, which promptly shut the others up.

"Ok," she said, "the teams can not split up," she explained, as if it were a contest, "and once a team has claimed a room, then that room is off bounds to the other teams. Clear?" She asked, and the three teams nodded, she looked at her watch, and waited for the second hand to reach the top, "on your marks, get set, go!" She exclaimed, and the three teams sprinted up the stairs.

Immediately Robbie and Johnny, and Tyler and Mo, went to check out the first rooms. While Jemima, instead, dragged Arietta down the corridor before pulling her into a room, and sitting down on the floor; claiming it as their own, without even consulting her room mate.

"I checked the house plans," Jemima explained, "this is the largest bedroom, it has a pleasant view, convenient escape routes," she gestured towards the window, "and proximity to the bathroom. So I think it is fair to claim this room, on your behalf."

Ari nodded slightly, a little lost for words, but still choosing to sit opposite the Welsh girl on the floor.

Johnny burst into the room, followed by Robbie, "you got the best room!" Johnny exclaimed, Jemima pointed at the wall on her left,

"that's the second biggest room," she told them, and in a flash both boys had disappeared to claim the room next door.

"I think we need to set some ground rules," Ari said slowly, and Jemima immediately brightened,

"firstly, if I am in the room, then the only music you are allowed to play out loud is classical, anything else, you have to listen using headphones. Secondly if you are making too much noise, then I expect you to quieten down or go elsewhere," she said to Ari.

"And the same goes for you," Arietta immediately replied, she paused before carrying on, "if I am having a nightmare... and you will be able to tell because I am either paralysed or I thrash about, while talking or crying. Can you please wake me up?"

Jemima nodded,

"and I'm sorry if I have a panic attack, or anything..." she apologised,

"Ari, you don't have to sorry about having a panic attack," the Welsh girl stated, "you don't have them by choice."

Arietta didn't reply, she just carried on, "if you wake up in the night and I'm not there, then you don't need to worry, I'm probably just in the bathroom," she looked at a little sheepish, and didn't meet Jem's eyes.

"Having a wank?" Jemima guessed, and Ari blushed furiously, opened her mouth to deny the allegation before closing it, because after all Jemima was correct.

"How did you know?"

"To be honest, I doubt there would be many other reasons why a girl who shares a room would go and lock herself in the bathroom, in the middle of the night, for a good half an hour, on a regular basis and be in _such _a good mood in the morning," Jem pointed out.

"I'm not even asking how you know _that_," Ari replied, shooting Jemima a look.

"Don't worry if I'm not in bed either, I sometimes go out," the Welsh girl continued.

"Where? Alone? Why?"

"Depends. Also depends. Depends as well," she replied, "but the only people I have ever sneaked out with are you and Johnny."

"Well, if you are going to sneak out, can you please inform in advance, so, if need be, I can cover for you," Ari said, and Jem smiled.

"I will try to," she informed the older girl, "and if you need me to cover for you, then I will be happy to oblige. Well, unless I am also going out."

"Seriously!" Tyler exclaimed, barging into the room, Mo at his heels, "this room is taken too?!"

"Sorry," Ari apologised,

"I'm not sorry," Jem replied instantly, before smirking as the two boys made their way out of the room.

"So... what colour are we going to paint the room?"

"Scientifically speaking: blue is a colour which stimulates your mind, red affects the body, while yellow affects the emotions and green creates balance between the three," Jem stated,

"which means, in human terms?"

"Though, saturation can affect the results, and multiple colours can change and improve results. For example the colour blue stimulates the mind, but if you add a little bit of orange then you are adding some emotion, which is likely to improve performance," the Welsh girl continued, ignoring Ari's question. She looked up, and noticed Arietta's disapproval.

"Not pink," she told Ari simply,

"oh pur-lease," the Chinese girl replied, "like I was going to suggest pink anyway."

"I like this colour," Jem stated, indicating to the walls,

"yeah, it's ok, and it's fairly neutral. Plus it means we don't have to redecorate, let's keep it!" Ari exclaimed,

"that was simple," Jemima pointed out, relatively surprised.

"It means we have more money to spend on other things," Ari replied, eradicating Jem's confusion, "like Frozen merchandise."

"I should have chosen to share with Tee instead," Jemima commented, realising how she was going to be snowed under Ari's _slight_ Frozen obsession.

"Oi!" Ari protested, "that hurt," she made a soulful face, placing her hands over her chest as if wounded, "I will buy other stuff too, like things covered in deep music quotes... and the minions."

"Wow," Jem said, voice deadpan, "I can't wait for us to share."

"Jemima Anderson, are you being sarcastic?" she rounded on the younger girl,

"me! Sarcastic! Never!"

Their conversation was cut off by a knock at the door, May Li announcing that they now had official claim to the room and were able to get their possessions and furniture from the moving van.

Suddenly their slow moving day was thrown into fast forward, as they found themselves charging up and down the stairs, while avoiding the others (who also now had been allocated their rooms) who were also charging up and down stairs, with boxes filled with possessions.

Jemima found herself naturally taking charge – like usual – ordering delivery men left, right and centre. Getting beds, bookshelves, and other various pieces of furniture where they were meant to be. While, some how having time to organise the unpacking of the kitchen and the general checks on the house.

"Is she even human?" Tyler whispered to Johnny,

"don't think so," he whispered back, "or if she is, she is some kind of super human from the future."

"SLACKING!" Jemima yelled, proving their point, because she was on an entirely different floor to them.

When the doorbell rang the Welsh girl charged downstairs, not even bothering to wait for the appearance of Mike, Gina or May Li, she let in the young girl on the doorstep and social worker in.

"You must be Floss," Jem stated,

"I'm looking for Mike Milligan," the social worker started,

"up the stairs, turn right, third door on the left," she replied, "right, I'm Jemima," she told the young girl.

"You speak weirdly," Floss told her,

"I'm Welsh. Harry!" She yelled, and after a couple of seconds the blond haired boy appeared. "Floss, this is Harry," she introduced.

"Hello Floss, this is Jeff and he says hello too," Harry greeted,

"right Harry, I am quite busy right now, but I trust you to look after Floss. Ok?"

"Ok Jem," the young boy said, "come on," he added, leading Floss into the living room.

Xxx

It was almost eight in the evening before the unpacking was finished, and everyone had finally managed to sit down for tea; beans on toast, which even Mike wasn't able to mess up.

The meal was fairly uneventful, after all everyone was pretty exhausted from lugging boxes around all day.

It was after tea, and Jem had been sent to search for Harry and Floss (described as "ginger" and "runty" by Jack) to say it was time for bed, when she came across them talking.

"If you don't let me keep Jeff," the young girl started, "I'll tell everyone you were mean to me."

"But Jeff's mine," Harry pointed,

"he's mine now," she told him, "or you'll get in trouble."

In the silence Jem knew that Harry had been forced to hand Jeff over,

"Harry, Floss," she chirped, breaking the silence, "bed time."

A moment later Harry and Floss walked past her, Floss clutching Jeff under her arm.

"Floss, aren't you going to give Jeff back to Harry?" she asked,

"Harry said I could keep him," Floss lied,

"is that true Harry?" Jem questioned, the younger boy was silent for a moment, before he nodded minutely. "Good, good," the Welsh girl said, "now up to bed," she chirped, deliberately out of character, "don't want you to be tired in the morning."

Jemima watched as they made their way upstairs, unable to be anything other than be slightly impressed by Floss' manipulation, since it was only in recent years, that she herself had only been able to master that art.

She made a mental note to keep an eye on Floss, because while Arietta liked the Minions from Despicable Me, Jemima was beginning to like the idea of having her own minion.

And Floss Guppy seemed like a perfect candidate.

**Please review :) xxx**


	54. Jody in Wonderland

**Chapter 54**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Themagicoftime for reviewing**

**This chapter is based on Jody in Wonderland, and in case you have forgotten here is who played who.**

**Faith Queen of Hearts**

**Mo Servant/Footman**

**May Li Caterpillar**

**Mike Green Servant/Footman**

**Floss Cook**

**Rick Duchess**

**Frank Cheshire Cat **

**Johnny The Mad Hatter**

**Tyler March Hare/Humpty Dumpty**

**Harry Dormouse**

**Jemima Sherlock**

**Arietta Tweedledee**

**Sam Tweedledum**

It was the day after Gina left that Denise Jackson turned up. Half term was drawing to a close, and they had already been at Ashdene Ridge for over a week, and everyone, including (Jemima's potential minion) Floss had settled in well.

"Jody," Denise yelled making her way into the hall,

"mum!" Jody shouted, jumping off the sofa, still clutching her copy of Alice in Wonderland, and making her way into the hall to see her.

"Jody, he's going to ask you to do something and you're not to do it," her Mum demanded,

"do what?" she questioned, and Mike ushered the two of them into his office, and motioned for them to sit down.

"The Police want you to give a witness statement against Kingsley," Mike explained,

"crazy, right?" her Mum interrupted.

"It's Jody's decision," he continued,

"there's nothing to decide," she fired back.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jody asked,

"your liaison officer only called me last night, I was going to discuss it with you this morning," Mike told her.

"What's he done this time?" she asked her Mother,

"_just_ breaking and entering, and handling stolen goods," Denise explained.

Xxx

Luke made his way up the path to the door, past a group of the teens standing by Mike's car.

"What's going on?" Rick questioned,

"it's complicated," Luke replied, before knocking on the door. May Li opened it almost immediately, "who are you?"

"I'm May Li," she told him,

"where's Mike and Gina?" he asked,

"Mike's in the office, and Gina doesn't work here any more," she explained, "now, your turn."

"I'm Jody's brother," he explained, before continuing as he saw May Li's face harden, "the other one. Luke."

May Li led him into the office,

"you took ya time, didn't you," Denise snapped at her youngest son, before gesturing towards Jody, "tell her."

"Jody, if the Police get one more witness statement, then Kingsley goes to court, and if he gets off he will make our life a misery," Luke explained.

"I'm not doing it Mike," Jody cried.

"What if Kingsley is found guilty?" Mike questioned, "he can't do anything to you in prison."

"You mean I could go home?" Jody asked,

"I would try my hardest to make it happen..."

"it's too big a risk," Denise cut off, "plus we don't snitch."

"Don't think of it as snitching, think of it as freedom. Freedom for your Mum, freedom for your brother."

Luke snorted, "but we don't know that that'll happen."

"Nobody knows what will happen, so why doesn't everyone back off and give Jody her her own chance to make a decision," Mike said.

Jody hugged her Mum, "don't do it Jodes," she whispered in her ear.

Xxx

There was a white rabbit, on the stairs, Jody did a double take,

"oh my paws and whiskers," the rabbit said, "I'm going to be late," before dashing off, Jody was still for a second, before following in pursuit.

She started running, before finding herself in some strange tunnels, "wait, where am I?" Jody yelled, the rabbit just continued and Jody followed, before realising that she had lost the rabbit and had instead found several locked doors.

She examined the doors for a moment, before realising that she couldn't open them without a key. She stood and discovered a table in the room, where a key magically appeared.

She proceeded to try and open each door, but the key fitted no door apart from a door so tiny, that she could barely fit her arm through.

She turned back to the table, where a bottle appeared with a label reading _drink me_. She was hesitant for a moment, _what if it was poison? What if it was some kind of trick? _

However, she decided there was no harm in trying some, so she glugged down the liquid and before she knew it, she was shrinking.

The odd thing about shrinking was that now, the tiny key which could once fit in the palm of her hand was now about the length of a kayak, while the door she could only fit her hand through before was now taller than her.

Pushing hard, lifting the (now) heavy key she opened the door, and made her way out into a garden, filled with flowers, and topiary, she walked for a moment before seeing a regal looking house. Where a woman, clutching a giant jam tart, stood.

"The Queen of Hearts," Jody whispered, slightly in awe of the impressive woman dressed in red, who looked remarkably like Faith. Jody continued to admire the rest of the garden, noticing some flamingos before freezing; noticing the figure pressed against the opposite hedge, "Kingsley?"

Meanwhile the Queen was approached by a servant, inviting her away to look over invitations. Kingsley made a run for it, grabbing the pile of jam tarts and making his way over to Jody.

"Snitch," he snapped, "and you'll be sorry."

"Who has taken my tarts?!" The Queen bellowed, "OFF WITH HIS HEAD!"

Jody immediately ran, and the Queen noticed, "come back with my tarts!" She demanded, while Jody sprinted off into a forest.

She wandered aimlessly, before she came to a clearing where there stood a pavilion filled with odd knick-knacks. She made her way towards it, and followed a caterpillar,  
"you know, it's polite to say hello," the caterpillar told her,

"first the white rabbit, then the Queen of Hearts, and now you," Jody shouted, amazed.

"Now I what?" the caterpillar asked,

"you're just as grumpy as in the book," Jody told her, "great to meet you."

"Good to meet you too, and who are you?" The Caterpillar asked,

"I'm Jody," she explained,

"and yet, I am none the wiser," she replied.

"I want to know why I am here," Jody told her.

"You already know why you are here," the Caterpillar stated,

"if I knew I wouldn't be asking," Jody snapped,

"don't snapped at me," she replied, reminding her slightly of May Li,"I may be fictional, but I still have feelings."

"Sorry," Jody apologised, "I thought it was a dream, so what I say doesn't matter."

The Caterpillar prodded her, "oww," Jody complained,

"well, you are awake, so what you say matters."

"Sorry," she apologised once again, "what are you doing?"

"I'm preparing for the future," the Caterpillar told her, "you ought to do the same."

Jody stood still listening as the Caterpillar continued, talking about ripples and the future, and asking her which Jody was going to be, and telling her to have faith in herself.

"You have to decide, who you want to be," the Caterpillar repeated, before starting to sing.

Jody listened to the words, and all she could think of us was about her Mum and Luke,

"why did you change the words?" she asked the Caterpillar,

"I didn't, that's how you heard it," the Caterpillar paused, "and if you heard it that way, perhaps you have something to think about."

Jody was still for a moment before sprinting off into the forest,

"it's polite to say goodbye," the Caterpillar called after her, but Jody ignored her.

Xxx

She didn't know how she ended up at the royal palace, but after a quick talk with a servant (accompanied by the Queen throwing dishes out of the window) she was invited inside.

"Get rid of the heat," the Duchess demanded, from his rocking chair in the corner, Jody went to open the window, "I meant the pepper not the heat," he snapped.

"I'm the cook," a small ginger girl declared, "so I get decide how much pepper I put in."

"But I'm eating it," he argued, "I get to decide," and the cook starting throwing cutlery at him.

Jody smirked, being reminded of how yesterday Floss had insisted in helping May Li cook for Gina's party, and how Rick had staged an intervention (mainly because Jem was busy) saying that she was putting _way _too much ginger in the ginger biscuits that she was making.

"You're crazy," the Duchess declared, dodging the flying cutlery, "you missed," he stated, standing up, while Jody laughed, before noticing he was carrying a pig not a baby.

"Shouldn't that be a baby?" she asked,

"it is a baby," he replied,

"it is only a baby till Alice takes outside," Jody told him, "then it's a pig."

"How dare you! My pig is a baby,"

"but in the book..." Jody started,

"what book?" he demanded.

Then in floated a cat, laughing,

"hello," Jody greeted, "I was hoping to meet you."

"Don't encourage him," the Duchess declared, kissing the pig's head before placing him in a basket, "sleep well Alfie," he whispered, before returning his attention to Jody, " wretched cat thinks it's funny that the cooks trying to poison us all."

"I'm not try to poison you," the cook declared, trying to defend herself, looking up from her work, "it just needs more... pepper!"

"If you put any more pepper in there," the Duchess declared, "I'm going to grind you up, and put you in."

The cook put down the pepper grinder, before starting to chuck cutlery at the Duchess again, before progressing to dinner plates, in the mayhem Kingsley sneaked in.

"Stop!" Jody shouted, as he picked up the baby, "you're not meant to steal the pig!"

"Who stole my pig!" The Duchess demanded, "who stole my pig!"

"I don't know," Jody lied.

"You just stood by and watch someone steal my baby,"

"it's a pig,"

"it's a baby pig," he corrected her, starting to cry and the cook comforted him, "get my pig back, or I'll get the guards to arrest you, if you don't get my baby back."

Jody sprinted out of the room, after Kingsley and the guard told her, once again, that only she could stop Kingsley, no one else could do it. After all, he hadn't known the pig was stolen, so how was he meant to stop him. Only she could do that.

Jody sighed, going to sit down on the swing, unsure of what to do. Before she knew what had happened she was by the sea, with little to no explanation and before she knew it, she was engaged in some kind of race, involved in running round in circles.

Which, to some, may have seemed like a metaphor for her inner turmoil, though that was hardly a priority for Jody.

She instead chose to run off and found herself in a new garden and at the other end she saw Kingsley with the baby.

"Kingsley, give me that pig!" She yelled, sprinting after him yet losing him. Again.

As she continued walking something orange and furry tickled her face.

"Get off," she yelled,

"good morning," the Cheshire cat replied, "is there a problem?"

"I am looking for the Duchess' pig," she told him honestly, "has Kingsley run by?"

"Who?" the cat asked,

"the knave," she explained.

"I don't think so," he replied,

"I don't know where he will have gone," Jody told him.

"Where would you go, if you had stolen a pig?" he asked her,

"it's not about where I'd go," she replied, "it's about where my rotten brother would go. What's the worse thing he could do with a pig?" She paused, "the butchers! Is there a butchers near here?"

"That way," the cat pointed, "hurry. You don't want to hand it back to the Duchess as a bacon sandwich."

With new determination Jody started to run again, hopefully she would be able to find Kingsley soon.

Little did she know, after she had run off, Kingsley appeared from the shrubbery, "cheers," he said to the cat, tossing him a fish before leaving.

Xxx

One minute she was just walking along the path, then the cage descended and she was trapped.

"Help!" She yelled,

"alright sis," Kingsley said, making his way towards her, Jody backed away. Back pressing against the bars of the cage but before she could do anything the cage was catapulted into the sky.

Xxx

At the table sat the Mad Hatter sipping his tea, when suddenly something small, and girlish fell from the sky with a shout, and landed in the (fortunately empty) tea pot.

The Hatter quickly placed the lid upon the pot, "let me out!" Jody yelled,

"I can't," he replied, "we are having tea."

"You are always having tea," Jody pointed out.

"Incorrect," a female voice said, "he is only having tea 97.3% of the time, I should know because I am Sherlock Holmes and I know everything."

"Sherlock Holmes wasn't in Alice in Wonderland," Jody stated,

"of course he wasn't," Sherlock stated, "but Sherlock also wasn't a woman, or Welsh. One does have to love poetic licence, even if one is not a poet. Though Conan Doyle and Lewis Carroll were only born 27 years apart, and died only 32 years apart, so I guess that does not make this rather unexpected cameo completely implausible. Though it is far more likely, according to my research, that this version of Sherlock, is simply an alter ego of your house mate Jemima Anderson, who has entered what appears to be your hallucinations to perhaps impart some wisdom to you."

"Shut up!" Jody yelled,

"anyway," the Hatter continued, smiling at Sherlock, "tea is a very important part of our day."

"We are very busy doing it," the March Hare added,

"please let me out," Jody begged,

"but we are very busy, drinking our tea," the Hatter stated, before returning his focus to the tea and Sherlock who was smirking at him.

"I'm looking for a pig, have you seen it?" Jody questioned, the Hatter looked around.

"This isn't a pig," the Hare said, "it's a dormouse." The dormouse looked up for a second, before dosing off to sleep again.

"It's two days wrong," the Hatter declared checking his watch, "I told you butter wouldn't fix it."

"But it was the very best butter," the dormouse replied, in response the Hatter dunked his watch in tea.

"Did the knave tell you not to?" Jody asked,

"he doesn't mend watches," the Hare stated, suddenly incredibly like Tyler.

"I'm not talking about the watch, I am talking about getting me out of here," she declared, "let me out! Let me out! Please."

The hare took the lid of the teapot off, "help somebody, help," Jody shouted,

"she's got a temper," the Hare said,

"she's a very noisy guest," the Hatter stated,

"the question is though, is she a guest? Can one be a guest if they are not invited? Or are they merely a gate crasher?" Sherlock questioned,

"I do look it when you go all deep," the Hatter replied, and Sherlock smirked, repositioning herself to face him.

Then they noticed the green footman coming over, "there is no space," the Hatter told him hurriedly

"let me out!" Jody continued yelling,

"what's going on?" the footman asked,

"it's time for tea," the Hare replied, and the footman took off the teapot lid and looked down on Jody, before pulling her out; where she regained her dimensions from before she was stuffed in a teapot before making her way across the table, standing on the plate after plate of cakes.

"Thanks," she said to the footman, and the two of them started to make their way away from the table.

"But it's time for tea," the Hare called after them,

"aren't you going to stay for a cup?" the Hatter questioned, he paused as they continued, "oh well. All the more for us."

"At least 87% more for us," Sherlock added.

Xxx

As Jody walked with the footman she explained the situation to him,

"the Cheshire cat never acts for free," the footman told her, "he must have been bribed."

"Is this enough evidence against Kingsley? The knave?" Jody asked,

"no," he replied,

"I don't want him to get away with it though," she said,

"I've got to go," he replied, "croquet with the Queen, otherwise she'll have my head," the footman told her, starting to leave.

"At least give me a clue of where to go next," she begged,

"by the twins," he told her.

Jody made her way through the gardens and she saw two signs advertising the houses of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

"Finally," she yelled, sprinting in the indicated direction.

In front of a hedge stood two girls, who were both tall, and that was where the similarities ended. One had long black hair, and the other had short blonde hair, and they were clearly of different races.

"If you think we are waxworks you should pay," the blonde girl insisted,

"or if you think we are alive, you should speak to us," the other girl added.

"You are much fat... bigger than in the books," Jody said, and the eyes of the two girls snapped open.

"What book?" The black haired girl asked,

"if you are going to speak to us, you have to say something that makes sense," the other girl replied.

"I need to ask you something," Jody began,

"ooh she's going to ask us a question," the blonde girl said,

"let me answer," the other girl begged.

"You're a disgrace," both girls said at the same time, pointing at each other.

They were silent for a moment, glaring.

"What would you like to ask?" The blonde girl asked,

"the knave stole a pig," Jody started,

"that's not a question, that's a statement," she replied immediately,

"my girl's smart," the other girl added, smiling at the blonde with pride.

"I hadn't finished yet," Jody replied,

"she hadn't finished," the other girl pointed out, and the blonde raised her hands in apology.

"Have you seen the knave? Or a piglet?"

The two exchanged a look,

"I don't like the knave," Tweedledum said,

"haven't seen a piglet," Tweedledee added, before humming in an attempt to hide the sounds of a piglet.

"That sounds like a piglet," Jody pointed out, while Tweedledee shook her head furiously, before starting to sing, a story about a Walrus who forces the Oysters to stay in line, and then eats them.

"That's horrible," Jody said,

"if you disliked it so much, why don't you rewrite?" The blonde asked wisely, while the other one started to sing.

"That's the pig!" Jody announced,

"no it's not," Tweedledee insisted,

"don't be so dumb, dee," the blonde replied, "everyone can hear it."

"Why did you do that? We could have kept the pig?" The other girl snapped,

"why would you want a pig you didn't ask for in the first place," the blonde fired back.

"Well I lost my first pig," she said quietly, "and I know this new pig, isn't the same pig, but I still wish it was. Or I could have this pig instead, because I'll never have another pig."

"It's not a pig," Jody told the black haired girl, "it's a baby."

"Precisely," Tweedledee replied, falling silent.

"Where's the pig!" Jody demanded,

"who are you?" The blonde girl asked, "and whose rattle did you break?"

"Nobody's!" Jody snapped, charging past them, going to find the pig without their help and she quickly found it, and took it's lead.

"We paid money for that pig," the blonde stated,

"and I bet you knew it was stolen," Jody fired back, and they merely shrugged, "thought so." She turned to the pig, "let's get you back to the Duchess," and the twins began waving furiously.

"How do I get back?" Jody asked, and both pointed in opposite directions, causing Jody to roll her eyes before stomping off with the pig.

"Bye Alfie!" They called after them.

Xxx

Before Jody knew it, she had returned the pig to the Duchess and had argued with the Queen, and been dragged into a game of croquet, using living hedgehogs and (non-living) flamingos.

Though after offending the Queen by beating her score, she sat out of the round.

"Why aren't you playing," the Cheshire cat asked,

"what's in it for you?" Jody snapped. "Going to set me up for another trap?"

"Oh you know the knave, he can be very... persuasive," the cat replied, "but I'm open to offers, if you are willing to play."

"Don't to me about games the Queen is such an unbelievable..." Jody trailed off, realising that she was standing behind her, "sportswoman. It's hardly worth finishing the match."

"It's always worth finishing, because you never know how things are going to turn out," he told her.

"Are you saying that I might lose?!" The Queen demanded, and the cat remained silent, "GUARDS! Off with his head!"

The guards charged over, by which point the cat's body had disappeared,

"don't just stand there," she ordered,

"but, your majesty, he doesn't have a body," one of the guards pointed out.

"Tell them," the Queen demanded,

"of course, dear heart," her servant replied, "anything with a head can be beheaded."

"I don't know how," the guard replied,

"are you refusing?" The Queen asked, standing straighter,

"stop being a bully," Jody cried, "anyway, it's his cat," she pointed at the Duchess,

"shame on you for blaming somebody else," the servant said,

"yeah, but you were the one who was talking to it," the Duchess replied, "everyone else saw that."

"Enough," the Queen declared, "throw her in prison, until she is willing to face up to her responsibilities."

"But what if she doesn't?"

"Off with her head," she snapped, she heard applause and turned to see Kingsley.

"Kingsley!" Jody yelled, breaking free and beginning to chase him,

"get her!" the Queen shouted.

Xxx

Jody wandered through the gardens, searching for Kingsley, she tried to open a door but it wouldn't budge, she was about to try again when she heard a cry of "careful."

"Humpty Dumpty!" Jody explained, taking a couple of steps back. "Aren't you meant to be sitting on a wall?"

"I felt like a change of scenery, and frankly this is quite nice. It's a new world for me," he replied.

"Because it's higher?" She guessed,  
"I can see everything from here," he replied, "appreciate all the points of view."

"Can you see the guards?" she asked, he was silent, "can you see the knave?"

"You must stay away from him. Especially after you gave the piglet back to the Duchess," he warned,

"he would give me a hard time, pig or no pig," Jody replied.

"Of course. He's a knave, rascal, scoundrel,"

"right, I get it," Jody said, "he will always be a knave."

"Doing knavish things, unless somebody stops him."

"What if nobody does?" she questioned,

"then you can sit on the fence, do nothing," he told her.

"It might be for you, but not for me, I need to stop that knave."

"Yeah," Humpty Dumpty replied, "and there are some King's men coming now."

Jody was still for a moment, before running off, hoping she could find Kingsley, so she could stop him.

"There she is!" She heard some guards shout,

"after her."

Though before they could find Jody, they found Kingsley eating the stolen tarts and they quickly arrested him.

"What have you done now!" Jody demanded, running up to her brother,

"he stole some tarts, from the Queen of Hearts," a guard explained,

"I bought them," he argued, "off my mate."

"I'm not doing this," one of the guards, Luke, yelled, sprinting away.

"Well, I am," Jody shouted after him.

Xxx

The court room was settled and Jody walked in with one of the servants, and she took her space in a box. She stood next to the Duchess, and a woman who was holding the pig.

The witnesses dithered, talking of hats and grinding pepper onto the table and none were providing any evidence. No one was say anything.

"You can't make me talk," Denise told them,

"then you'll go to prison instead," the Queen replied,

"no," Jody cried, "he did it," she declared pointing at Kingsley, "he stole your tarts, and everyone hear knows it."

"Silence," the Queen yelled, "if everyone knows it, how come there are no witnesses?"

"Because I saw him," Jody shouted, and everyone fell silent.

Then the world started spinning.

Xxx

"Hey," Mike said, running out of his office up to Jody, "Jody, are you ok?"

"I'll give the statement."

Xxx

"I've done it," Jody told her Mum,

"I hope you're not saying what I think..."  
"I've given a witness statement," she told them, hanging her head.

"After I told you not to!" Denise snapped,"

"it's Jody's choice," May Li replied, placing her hand comfortingly on Jody's shoulder.

"You talked her into this, didn't you," she said, turning on Mike.

"No one talked me into anything Mum," Jody told her, "it's time someone did something about Kingsley."

"Well it didn't have to be one of us. I didn't bring you up to be a snitch," she shouted, grabbing her bag and making her way towards the door, leaving Jody in tears.

"Mum, where are you going?" she asked,

"somewhere Kingsley won't find me," she replied, turning back to her daughter.

"Please Mum," Jody begged, grabbing her arm.

"Get off me," she snapped, shaking Jody away and Luke stood up, following her.

"Mum!" She shouted again, "Luke!"

Jack quickly entered the hallway, quickly closing the door to the living room behind him, so the intrigued crowd couldn't see what was going on. He pulled the sobbing Jody into a hug,

"you still got me Jodes," he whispered,

"yeah, cos no one is willing to put up with you Kelly Jackson," Denise shouted, and Jack froze.

"His name is Jack," Jody whispered,

"well, I don't care, I'm not spending another moment here with you,you snitch, or that sick little girl."

"Mum," Luke said, "wait."

"Come on Luke! She's done this to us, she ain't no kid of mine," she told him, "I'm sticking around till Kingsley finds out, cos I'm not getting the blame for this one."

She paused, "let's get back, pack a few things, and get going..." she opened the door,

"I wish you could hear yourself," Luke told her,

"what?"

"Give her some credit, it's a really tough decision for anyone to make, let alone a kid," Luke said, and Jody looked up from Jack's embrace, amazed to see her brother standing up to their mum. "Jody's got guts."

"Let's see how gutsy she is when her brother comes looking for her," Denise said, and Luke made his way over to her.

"Maybe he won't, if we back her."

"No," Denise shook her head,

"Jody is do everything to get us away from Kingsley, and this is how you repay her!" His voice raised to a shout, he continued a second later, voice lowered. "You should be the one setting an example, not her. And I'll tell you what, if she's got the bottle, then so have I."

Denise said nothing just shook her head, before closing the door.

Everyone was still for a moment, before Jody engulfed her brother into a hug.

"Thank you," she whispered,

"I'm sorry about what Mum said to you," he replied, he looked up at his cousin, "both of you."

"It's alright," Jack lied, shrugging with nonchalance, "heard it all from Mum and Dad before."

Luke was silent for a moment, "Jack, it is Jack isn't it?"

"Yeah, I'm Jack," he replied, biting his lip slightly.

"Jack Jackson," Luke said smirking,

"shut up," Jack replied, laughing, hitting his arm lightly.

They laughed for a moment, and in the corner of his eye, Jack could see Mike and May Li heading into the office, to give them space.

Luke sighed, his hands going to his face. "What am I gonna do?" he asked his sister, and cousin. "Even if Kingsley is locked up, I still can't go back to Mum."

"Max!" Jack stated, shouting slightly.

"What?" Luke questioned, surprised by his outburst.

"At Max's uni house, there was a spare room and you're decent, so I'm sure he would be happy to let you stay," Jack paused, "I could call him, if ya want?"

Luke was silent for a moment, before nodding.

"Us Jacksons gotta stick together," his younger cousin told him, as he dialled Max.

Xxx

"Who's Kelly?" Johnny questioned, to the room and everyone's gaze immediately shifted to the Welsh girl, sat on top of the pool table reading. "Jem?"

"What was the question?" The Welsh girl asked, looking up slowly from the book,

"do you know who Kelly is?" Her boyfriend asked,

"no, why?" She asked,

"well, why Jody's mum shout about Kelly, when there is no one there called Kelly?"

"Who knows," Jem replied cheerfully, "people from the North are weird."

"Rich coming from you," Rick replied,

"my Mum was Northern," Jem announced, distracting them significantly,

"I thought she was Welsh," Johnny said slowly.

"Oh, she was, she was born and raised in Anglesey, which is North Wales," Jemima explained,

"so she wasn't really Northern then?" Faith replied,

"well according to your version of Northern..." Jem paused, "no," she admitted, sounding a little defeated, causing everyone to laugh and be significantly distracted by the potential clue which could unlock Jack's secret.

"Thank you," Jack said later, when everyone was eating the jam tarts Faith had baked,

"it's nothing," Jem replied, examining the jam tart, holding it up to the light and looking at it from every possible angle, "after all, you're my friend and it's what friends do."

"Why are you so weird?" Floss demanded, looking at Jemima.

"It's cos she's Welsh," Jack explained, "she's a Welsh weirdo."

"Is everyone in Wales in weird?" Tyler questioned,

"yes," Jack told him,

"have you ever even been to Wales?" Jemima asked, Jack was silent for a moment.

"That's beside the point."

"Give up cous," Luke said, from across the table.

"Is it cos your from Whale-land, that your hair is so weird?" Floss asked, and everyone turned to look at Jem's hair, and with their attention diverted, Floss used it as an opportunity to steal another jam tart.

_Sneaky_.

That was another thing that Jem would add to Floss' page, and it was certainly a good thing for a minion to be.

Before she could continue to value Floss' merits the door bell rang, May Li left to let in Max who had appeared.

Max hugged his brother, then Jody, then Luke who he hadn't seen for a good three years.

"I think this is gonna be for the best," Jack commented,

"thanks to Jody," Luke said, smiling at his sister.

"I couldn't have done it without Wonderland though," she told them enigmatically, before grabbing another jam tart and heading upstairs.

**This is the longest chapter I have written in such a short time period (24 hours) so in that respect I am quite pleased.**

**Though I am aware that this is not my best work, I did have to heavily rely on the episode which I did not enjoy doing much. So while future chapters will be based around Dumping Ground episodes, they will not be done as rigidly as this one.**

**Hope you enjoyed it :)**

**Please review xxx**


	55. Jack's Time To Shine

**Chapter 55**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

"So, Miss Walker, I believe we are here to discuss the arrangements of your schooling," Miss Burton, head of St John's said, as she reshuffled her paperwork dated today's date (3/3/2014) before sitting down opposite Erin.

It was the first day back at school, and already Erin had been called in to talk about the baby and her future, something that she was finding incredibly daunting.

"Well, Miss," Erin started, "I have discussed it with Mike."  
"As in Mr Milligan?" She asked, Erin nodded,

"we both think that I ought to stay in school until Easter, so the end of this term, which means that I'll be here for another month."  
"Do you intend to then continue to do your school work, just at home?" Miss Burton asked,

"as long as I'm up to it," Erin told her earnestly, "because I don't know how much work I will be able to do when I'm closer to my due date."

"Ok," she replied, quickly jotting down some notes, "so what is your plan after the baby is born?"

"Well for the first few months Rick, the baby and me will be staying with a foster family and hopefully it will be local, so that we can still attend this school. If we can't then we may have to transfer schools for the rest of the year," she explained.

"Ok, so for the time before the baby is born, but when you are out of school they'll be some expectations you will have to meet," Miss Burton told her, "after all, your teachers and the school are going out of their way to help cater for you."

"Of course miss,"

"your teachers have already agreed to email you suitable material, that they will be teaching in class. They will give you instructions and they will also set you homework, which you will either be able to hand in by email or by hand, because I believe that you have at least one person from your home with you, in every lesson."  
"Apart from science," Erin told her,

"well I believe that while Samantha Carter no longer lives with you, that you see her on a regular enough basis or at least Miss Rosenberg," she paused slightly, "sees her enough, for you to pass on the work to Sam through Arietta."

"Of course miss," she repeated.

Xxx

While Johnny was happy to be back at St John's it hadn't occurred to him how different it would be. Before he had sat next to Jem in most lessons, or with Kitty, and he was always able to pair up with at least one of the girls.

Now Jem went to a new school, and Kitty had moved out of the area. In year 9, it seemed too late to join a new group, especially since they all seemed so closely knit.

Xxx

It was perhaps worse for Jack Jackson though, to him, St John's was a completely new school and his good looks were causing a bit of a stir.

While Jack certainly appreciated his looks, he couldn't help but wish that they would abandon him for the moment (and only reappear if he wanted to chat to a cute girl), because he wanted to pass under the radar, go unnoticed, focus on doing one month of good work before returning home to his brother (and cousin, who he suspected was going to become a permanent member of Max's uni house).

He knew, from experience, that the closer people got, the more likely they were to find out the truth. With his GCSEs so close he didn't want people finding out and having to deal with yet another bought of ignorant transphobia when he had more important things to focus on, like his future.

Only a year or two ago it was all planned, all he had to do was practise. Practise and practise. Be the best footballer he could be, apart from at that point he identified as she. He didn't know it was even possible to identify with a gender different to the one assigned at first. He was 13, nearing 14 when it occurred to him that he was different.

All the other girls in his class spent their time growing into womanhood, perhaps not loving their bodies but accepting that they had changed. They liked their boobs and curves, and were beginning to explore their femininity. Jack hated it. His mum loved it.

"My little girl is finally becoming a woman," she chirped when he first got his period, and as time progressed Jack thought that hating himself was only a natural part of growing, that one day he would look in the mirror and not want to cry, and would be able to recognise himself.

He didn't even know how it happened, but one day he found himself in the habit of binding his chest. Passing the bandage round and round his body, pulling it tighter and tighter, till, when he pulled on his top, it looked like there was no breasts there.

He had turned to admire his reflection, it looked... right. For the first time since childhood his body looked like it was meant to look. Of course other stuff was wrong, his hair, pulled back in a ponytail.

He had always been a tomboy, so at first everything was ok. Nobody noticed any big changes. Then, one day, he was trying out for a new football club. The try outs for the girls squad was in the gym of a local school, while the boys were in the sports hall.

"Sorry, mate," one of the coaches called, as Jack entered the gym, "the try outs for the guys team is in the sports hall."

He felt a slight buzz, amazed and (surprisingly) pleased that he had been mistaken as a guy. He was about to correct the coach, but instead he nodded and headed outside, to the short work to the sports hall.

To Kelly Jackson that was when everything fell into place; never in his life had he felt comfortable calling himself a girl, but a guy.

He pushed open the door to sports hall.

"You're late," one of the coaches barked,

"sorry sir," he apologised meekly, "I went to the wrong place."

"Name," he snapped, and Kelly froze, "name. It's hardly rocket science boy."

"Jack," Kelly told him, his mind immediately flicking to his surname.

"Jack what?"

"Jack Jackson, sir," Jack replied, and the other boys trying out guffawed. He went to duck his head, to avoid their gaze, like Kelly would do.

But he wasn't Kelly any more.

"Yeah, my mum called me Jack, and didn't know the milkman's surname was Jackson, till it was like, too late," he joked, a confidence that he had never seen before illuminating his words causing the team to laugh with him, not at him.

Within half an hour he was joking around, acting like one of the lads and he found it hard to believe that he ever believed he was a girl, because it was so natural to be a boy.

He showed off and in try outs, and made it onto the squad.

"You have potential, Mr Jack Jackson," the coach told him, after he dismissed the rest of the team.

Jack had never felt more proud; or happier; or more like himself.

He had always loved football, but opportunities for football as a girl were sparse, it was a "man's sport" and now... he was a guy. He could reap their benefits, and succeed, and make progress that he never expected...

He sat looking at his school uniform: tights, skirt, blouse. The only change of clothes he had.

Sighing, thankful there weren't shared changing rooms, he pulled back on his clothes and let his hair down.

The stranger in the mirror looked nothing like the guy he was, and he used to be able to deal with that but an hour and a half as Jack was addictive. He wanted to be Jack... forever. He didn't want to have to go back to being Kelly after he had finally discovered himself.

On the long walk home he reasoned, at least he got to be himself for sometime, better to be Jack for a couple of hours a week, than not at all.

"I got into the team," he announced as he entered the kitchen, where his Mum was cooking steak and chips.

"That's lovely dear," she told him, "though does it have to be such a _dirty _sport?"

"Football is great," Jack argued, he paused, "Mum."

"Look, money is a bit short at the moment, what with Max mucking around with his _teacher fantasy_, when he could be out making money," her voice raised to shout, so Max could hear her from where he was sitting in the front room; piles of books spread out across the floor.

"It's not a fantasy," Max defended storming into the kitchen, "I'm gonna get good A Levels, and then I'm gonna go the uni, uni in town so I'm still close to home. Then I'll do my history degree, then I'll do my teaching qualification." He talked as if he was talking to a small child.

"Yeah, and then you'll regret it when ya spend everyday in classrooms with noisy buggers like yourself, and wish you'd just go into construction like ya dad, cos at least that way this house would have a reasonable income, and you wouldn't chucking yourself into a massive pit of debt."

"Mum," Jack interjected, before yet another massive row kicked off between Max and their Mum. "I was thinking, since I'm, like, growing up, that I could perhaps I could have a hair cut, that's a bit more grown up."

His Mum's eyes brightened, "we could get you are perm, I was talking to our Carol the other day, and she was all like that she would give us a naughty discount. Ooh, maybe some highlights,"  
"Mum," Jack cut her off, "I was thinking, maybe I could have my hair cut, like, short or something."

His Mum was silent for a moment, "are you trying to become a lesbian?" She snapped,

"Mum..." Jack started,

"Mum, you can't just _become _a lesbian," Max told her, "you're either born that way or... not."

"No," she replied, "it's a very trendy thing all the cool girls are doing. Kelly, I get you ain't the most popular girl but there are better ways to make friends than becoming a lesbian."

"Look, I ain't no lesbian, and if ya gonna hassle me so much about wanting a hair cut, then I won't bother," he shouted, before slamming the door and running up stairs to his bedroom.

It was half an hour later when Max entered his room, Jack didn't look up just continued to lie on his bed, face in his pillow. Max sat down on the bed, next to his sibling.

"Tea is ready," he told Jack, who didn't reply. "Kel," he said, stroking Jack's hair, causing his younger sibling to sob a little. "Kel," he repeated, "if you want to talk, like about anything. Feel free, I'm like always willing to listen; unless if Fiona Bruce is on television, cos she's a total MILF."

Jack snorted slightly, and ended up crying again.

"Kel, you know, your still my family, whatever. It doesn't matter to me if your gay or anything... well apart from psychopath with a needle fetish, because then I'm sending you to the looney bin," he joked.

"I'm not gay," Jack said sitting wiping his eyes, "I'm just... I don't know," he admitted, voice small.

Max put his arm around him, "come on, it's steak. Your favourite, and we can talk later... if you want?"

"Maybe," Jack replied, smiling slightly, and wiping away the last of the tears.

Xxx

As the story goes it was months later that Jack finally talked to Max, and he had hardly planned the conversation with his brother.

For months he had tried to manage a semblance of his two lives: Jack Jackson, the star footballer and Kelly, the girl with a few friends who bordered on acquaintances, and was living in only the shadow of his potential.

"You know it's ages since we've been to one of ya football matches," his Mum commented over dinner, and Jack froze.

"Yeah," his Dad agreed, "and it's football season, surely you would have loads of matches."

"Unless, you ain't going to football," his Mum stated,

"of course I'm going to footie," Jack replied.

"Then why haven't you had any matches?" She questioned, "or maybe that's just cover. That's what it is. You been off playing fast and loose with some boy, haven't you."

Jack sat in stunned silence,

"you ain't even denying," she turned to her husband, "she ain't even denying it."

"Mum, don't ridiculous. Kelly loves football, and you seriously think she has a boyfriend?!" Max asked, their Mum was silent for a moment, as if trying to analyse her older son.

"Oh. Oh! You think you've got me fooled, you took me for an idiot, didn't ya," she shook her head at Jack, "you've been going out with a girl. I told you Derek, our girl has become a bleeding lesbian."

"I was at football," Jack tried defend himself,

"prove it. Give us dates for your next match, or you ain't leaving this house for anything other than school," their Mum's voice rose to a shout.

"Who would you get to run down to the offie to stock up your cupboard of crap then?" her youngest child snapped, his personality snapping from Kelly's to Jack's.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"The next match, which is the final, is next Sunday at 3, in the field behind the Fisher's," Jack snapped, "then see if you believe me."

As the week passed Jack began to realise how much of a mistake he was making. How would his parents react at the last match of the season? How would they react to him being in the guys team? Would they tell the officials that there was a girl on the team? He knew that would result in instant disqualification.

"Mr Jackson, what are you playing at?" his football coach snapped, Jack was usually one of their best strikers and he hadn't scored a goal all evening, and there was only five minutes of the session left.

"I'm sorry," Jack apologised, "this is ain't my best work."  
"You can say that again," he announced, "you better be saving your best work for Sunday," he paused, as he noticed Jack's expression shift, "you are gonna be there on Sunday?" His voice rose, Jack gulped unsure of what to say:

If he left the team, they wouldn't be disqualified, but losing him could result in loss for the team. Also it meant that his parents wouldn't find out, but then he would be automatically grounded and be have to put up with his Mum ranting about his "lesbian phase".

If they came then they would find out the truth, and maybe they would dump him in it, and ruin it for the whole team. Ruin everything they had worked for...

"It's complicated," Jack admitted, voice small.

"Ok, let me simplify it; other than football, do you have any plans for Sunday?"

"No," he replied,

"then I expect to see you Mr Jackson," the coach walked away, before Jack could even attempt to explain, he just started praying to any higher being out there for him to remain undiscovered.

"Kel," Max said, opening her door, it was Sunday morning and Jack was lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, "nervous?" he asked.

"Yeah," Jack whispered,

"you are one of the best footballers I know, your team is going to smash the other team," Max announced, his younger sibling was silent for a moment. "That isn't it, is it?" He asked a few moments later, and Jack shook his head.

"I have properly cocked everything up," he told Max, "I," he took a quick look up at his older brother, before his gaze darting back to his hands, "joined the guys football team. I went into the girl's try outs and they thought I was a guy, so they directed me to the guy's try outs. Then I got onto the team and... I don't want them to know..."

He cut off, Max was watching him, unspeaking, just placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, who smiled weakly. "If they find out I'm on the wrong team then the whole team will get disqualified, but I've been to every session and I can't let the team down."

"Kelly," Max started,

"Jack," he corrected before freezing, ducking his head refusing to meet his brother's eyes.

"Jack Jackson?" Max laughed, "well that's original."

"I like it," his younger sibling replied, defensively.

"What's your middle name, Jack?"

"What? Jack Jack Jackson?" he laughed, before pausing, not sure if his brother was understanding the seriousness concealed beneath the laughter, his laughter became tears, "I'm not a girl Max," he cried, "I'm not a fucking girl."

There was silence for a moment, as Max embraced Jack.

"Always wanted a younger brother," he told Jack, "and I don't think I could ask for a better one than Jack Jack Jackson."

"My middle name isn't really Jack," he mumbled, into his brother's shoulder, Max pulled him away and held him at arms length.

"What is your middle name then? George? Duncan? Philip? Horatio?"

"I haven't got a middle name," he told him honestly, "not yet... I haven't really thought about it much."

"Then," Max leapt to his feet and headed towards Jack's desk, and started searching for something. "Ahh," he declared brandishing a ruler, he bounded over to his younger brother, before tapping him on his shoulders. "I knight you, Sir Jack Jack Jackson of Newcastle-upon-Tyne."

They laughed for a moment, before the atmosphere stilled.

"I don't know what to do, or... anything or... anything!" Jack exclaimed, "I don't understand why I feel like this?"

"It doesn't matter why. It matters that you accept that is how you feel, and then we can begin to put everything right," Max told him,

"we?"

"Yes bro, we're all in this together, and I think we should head down to the match early, just so we can explain to your coach the situation and if they let you play then good, and if they don't... well it's their loss, not yours."

Jack smiled at his brother, wishing that the comforting words were providing him with any kind of solace.

Xxx

"Alright?" Max asked, as they walked into the sports facilities where the changing rooms and prep rooms were. Jack shook his head, a pack of chattering broke the silence as a gaggle of guys on the team entered the corridor.

"Alright Jack?" One greeted,

"yeah, I'm good, like," Jack lied.

"Ya better score in this match, cos you were ace at the last match," another guy said,

"long as you don't fuck up as much as you did in practice," one more added, and Jack ducked his head.

"Come on," Max said, grabbing his brother's arm, he looked to the team, before explaining, "we got something we need to discuss with the coach."

"What is it?" Someone asked, and that was when the Coach showed up.

"Why are you standing around?! This is not a mother's meeting," he barked, before turning to face Max,

"I'm Max, Jack's brother," he extended his hand as he introduced himself.

"Go, get change," he snapped, at the other team members who were standing around, and they (rather disappointedly) headed off to the locker room. Leaving only Max, Jack and the coach.

"Max, our final match starts in half an hour. Can this wait?" The coach asked,

"no," Max told him, "and can we take this somewhere private."

The coach grimaced, but rather reluctantly showed Max and Jack into his office, closing the door behind them.

"I believe there may have been a bit of misunderstanding," Max started, the coach went to interrupt, but the teenager held up his hand to silence him, "and I have come to ask whether it means that Jack is eligible to compete in the match."

"What do you mean?" The coach eyed him suspiciously,

"what are the rules about gender in this match?" Max asked slowly,

"boys only, why?"

"Does this _boys only _include people who identify as male but have female genitalia?"

"Look. _Mate_," he practically spat, "but I am not hear to listen to your psycho science-y bull crap. If ya gonna speak to me, speak to me in English."

"Ok, let's simplify," Max snapped back, voice sliding into patronising (yet some what aggressive) tones.

"Sometimes people are born in the wrong body," Max started, "and they identify other..."

"For fucks sake, just spit it out."

"Ok, I'll _really _simplify. Jack is a guy, but he has a vagina."

The coach was silent for a moment, eyeing Jack up and down for a moment.

"So... it's a girl," he said slowly, disgust setting in.

"No, _he's _a _guy_," Max replied, as if he was talking to a five year old.

"If you're a girl, where's ya tits?"

"That is neither professional, nor appropriate behaviour," Max snapped, standing up towering up over the coach, but the coach was muscular and beefy, while Max was slim and willowy.

"Look can I play or not?" Jack questioned, his usually deep voice slipping to a soprano.

"Wow, it even sounds like a girl," the coach snapped, "and the answer is no. You lied to us, and it's against the rules."

"But he identifies as male," Max started,

"I don't care if it identifies as a Martian, it is not playing on my football team. Understood?"

Jack nodded his head minutely, "you can't exclude him," Max argued, "this is England, he has rights."

"No rights, only lefts," the coach told them, "time you left."

He led them out of the sports facility, just as the other players were leaving the changing room.

"Paul, you're going to be striker," the coach announced,

"but Jack..." the younger boy protested.

"Jack isn't playing," the coach told them, and he silenced the questioning voices of the team, while Jack stared dejectedly at his feet, "cos the thing is Jack is actually a girl."

The team was silent for a moment, "if Jack's a girl where's her tits?" One asked,

"come on Jack," Max said, "we're leaving."

Jack was frozen still, his eyes not moving from the crowd of his jeering ex-team mates.

"I ain't a lesbian," he said suddenly, snapping from his trance.

"Well one ride here," the guy, named Paul indicated towards his crotch, "and the les-bi-gone."

The group laughed, finding the joke like the most hilarious thing ever heard by human ears.

"Jack, let's go," Max told him, but his younger drew himself to his full height and was making his way over to the other guy.

"Your gay," Jack told him,

"what?!" Paul exclaimed.

"I'm a guy, and _you _are fantasizing about me riding _your _dick," Jack said, moving closer to him.

"You're a girl," the guy told him nervously, backing up slightly.

"No," Jack replied, "you're a faggot. Trying to a big, _hard_," he looked rather pointedly at Paul's crotch, "man, but you ain't doing well but you ain't doing it very well, cos every time you look at a guy you get a massive stiffy, you ponce-arsed pussy. I mean I've got a bloody cunt and I'm still more of a man than you."

Paul turned red, and his eyes were watering, and the others guys were laughing and jeering at him. Jack felt a pang of shame, and one look at Max's face knew he'd well and truly blown it.

Max said nothing, just turned and walked away from his younger brother. Jack rushed after his brother.

"I thought you would know better," Max snapped, as they walked out of the sports facilities, both spinning round to shove his brother.

"I'm sorry," Jack protested, "I just needed them off my back."

"God, can't you see what you've done?" Max sighed exasperated, "those nicknames are gonna haunt that kid for the rest of the time he is at this club."

"There are, like, loads of other clubs," Jack pointed out,

"but thanks to you he's never going to like that again."

"Surely it's a good thing, he won't be acting like an arse," he snapped back,

"he is going to act so hyper-masculine that he will become more and more," every time he said _more _he poked Jack in the chest, "of a bigot."

"I am not a bigot," Jack argued.

"You just humiliated someone younger, smaller, more vulnerable and impressionable than yourself by making homophobic comments," Max told him.

"It was self-defence," he replied.

"No, it was cowardice," his older brother told him, "and I am so fucking ashamed of you, because you don't realise how fucking fortunate you are."

"I'm fortunate!?" Jack laughed, almost manically.

"You live in a country, where you are immediately protected by law. In a country where you won't be tortured or mutilated or castrated because of who you are. Yeah, sure, Mum and Dad are pretty traditional but you came out to me this morning, and my attitude towards you; my love towards hasn't changed. This is how you repay me."

Max didn't look at Jack, just sat down on the steps, "if that kid is gay, he's going to fear coming out. Fear that everyone will treat him like you and those other bigots just did. He will live in fear and confusion and terror, because he doesn't want that scene to replay. If he isn't gay, or part of LGBT community then he is going to fear being called gay, and that happening again, he will become hyper-masculine and that is one of our problems with our society..."

"Max, I don't give a fuck, about that little shit," Jack snapped.

"Yeah," he snorted with distaste, "I could tell. Two hours of being a straight white male and you have already reached their level of self-entitlement."

"You are a straight white male," Jack told him,

"yes, I know, but that doesn't mean I have to act like a stereotype," Max replied.

"Oh fuck off, go find some trees to hump, you fucking hippy."

Jack started walking away, and Max said nothing, just sunk his head into his hands.

Xxx

"The only football match on was a guy's football match," their Mum ranted, that night at dinner.

"Sorry," Jack snapped, "I got confused."

"Kelly, you have a phone," their Dad pointed out, "a bloody expensive one if I remember right, you could have called. I missed the snooker to see you play."

"Sorry," Jack repeated, while Max was sat at the opposite side of the table, stabbing the peas on his plate, and looking much like he wished to stab the instrument into his brother instead.

"Mind, that's my best china," their Mum stated, and Max pushed back his chair, abandoning his plate on the table.

"For god's sake Max," their Dad snapped, "you're 18 not 8, there's no need to give us a bloody temper tantrum."

Their parents turned to their youngest children, waiting expectantly for him to back them up.

"Max, stop acting like dick," Jack said, and Max flipped.

"Well you can talk, can't you Jack Jackson!" He shouted, before freezing.

"What did you call her?" Their Mum asked,

"nothing," Max muttered, biting his lip.

"Dear God, are daughter isn't pretending to be a lesbian. She's pretending to be a boy," their Mum started,

"I ain't pretending," Jack snapped, "I'm a guy."

"God, I should have never let you play football, it made you so confused," their Mother continued, "I should have been a good Mother and intervened, made you into a good daughter, not let you be misguided by your brother and making you confused."

"I'm not confused," Jack repeated, and that's when his life took a turn for the worse.

Xxx

It was the next day, he was walking back home from school with Max. Usually they chatted about everything and anything: football, football, a lot more football, Fiona Bruce, some more football, Max's new tattoo plans and A Level history course, a bit more football, and some football.

Instead it was silence, neither said a word to each other all the way home.

Their Mum however, was talking for Queen and country, "Kelly," she sung, voice bright, ignoring her older son, still pissed off at him for chipping her finest china, "I've been shopping for you."

"With what money?" Max questioned,

"the money that you should be making from working," she snapped, "not faffing around with history and all the old boring shit."

"History is not boring," Max told her, and she just ignored him instead she dragged Jack into the living room and pointed at the numerous dresses, skirts, tops, sparkly high heels lying all around the room, looking like Hurricane Honey Boo Boo child had struck.

"Mum, it's nice," Jack started, trying to be tactful for once, "but this ain't me, and it seems like too much money to spend when I have, like, properly decent clothes upstairs."

"You don't," she told him, smiling, "I decided to help you pet, it would be best if I got rid of all your tranny clothes, and bought you lots of pretty girly clothes. Just so we can start getting you back into the right state of mind."

"Where are the old clothes?" Max questioned,

"the tip, you Dad drove me earlier," Max's jaw dropped.

"You didn't even give them to the bleeding charity shop!" He exclaimed, "and you could at least let me keep some of it, some of the clothes fitted me fine and were really nice!"

"Mum, I can't wear this," Jack told her honestly, "this is ain't me. So I won't wear it."

"You ungrateful bitch!" Their Mum exploded, "all this money I spent on you, which I could have spent on something nice for me and you just chuck it in my face, like the ungrateful madam you are."

Xxx

It was months later when everything became too much.

Max was still distanced, and their Mum had taken to doing Jack a full face of makeup everyday before he left the house to school.

Mum had torn up his bandages, and bought him a push bra.

He had stopped being Jack, and had been forced back into Kelly's box.

He had never felt less like himself, and never hated himself more.

It was an average summer evening, his Mum and Dad had gone out for lunch at the pub while Max was holed up in his bedroom, either on tumblr or watching endless history documentaries.

Jack had locked the door, and was sat on the bathroom floor, staring at the knife.

He had heard that cutting helped, that the feeling of blood flowing was like a river, taking old memories down stream, and cleansing the new ones.

He made a small but deliberate cut, and watched with euphoria as blood rushed to the skin surface. He let it drip, then he picked up the knife again, pressed the blade to the skin and a loud knocking on the door caused him to jump.

"Fuck!" He shouted, as he was cut off guard.

"Jack, what's going on?" His brother asked,

"fuck off, I'm fine," Jack snapped,

"well, if you are fine open the door," Max replied.

"Why should I?"

"Because I need a shit."

Jack was still for a moment, before hiding the knife behind the sink and grabbing a towel to wrap round his bleeding hand. He opened the door, Max was leaning by the side.

"All yours," Jack mumbled, when suddenly felt a soft tug and a flurry of pain shot up his arm.

He looked to see Max holding the blood stained towel,

"it ain't as bad as it looks," he told his older brother, who grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the bathroom, locking the door.

"Sit down," he told Jack, who gave in and sat on the floor. Jack wrapped the towel round the wounds, "hold it in place, tightly. Stop the bleeding," he commanded.

There was silence for the moment, "where's the knife."

"I..."

"Jack Jack Jackson, don't start trying to spin me crap."

"Behind the sink," Jack admitted, Max bent down to get the knife. He handled it like you would a weapon of war; disgusted yet intrigued by its power.

Max started rinsing the knife clear of blood, and there was silence for several minutes.

"You know, what would have been more productive than cutting your skin?" He asked his younger brother,

"nothing," Jack replied, he had heard it all before; don't cut. Cutting is bad.

"True, but not quite," Jack looked curiously up at his older brother, "your hair. That's how this hullabaloo started after all... you asking for a haircut."

"What if I mess it up?" Jack asked,

"this isn't a fashion show, this is a statement," Max replied, "telling Mum that she can't control you. Maybe at the weekend we could have it done properly, but for now just cut it short."

Jack stood still for a moment, glancing at the reflection in the mirror; not his. He lifted the knife, it glistened in the light and he began to slice through the hair. Chunks quickly gathered in the sink.

When he looked back in the mirror the result was messy but satisfying.

"Let's get you dressed, properly," Max said, not commenting about his appearance.

"But Mum chucked all my clothes away," Jack told him, as if he had forgotten.

"Well she couldn't chuck mine away too," he led him out of the bathroom to his bedroom.

The walls were covered in retro adverts, and retro posters of pin up models.

"Classy," Jack commented, sarcasm dripping off his voice.

"it was the 80s Jack, all women needed their personal jungle," Max replied.

"I don't see it,"

"well it's better than the hairless, photo shop models of today by miles. The clothes are in the wardrobe or on the floor, so make your choice. Pick what you want."

Jack scanned the wardrobe quickly, thanking the lord that as a biological female he had been blessed with small hips; making it possible to wear his brother's clothing; ignoring the fact his brother was clearly taller than him, but hey... shorts were invented for a reason.

"Have you got a binder?" Max asked, after his brother had finished picking out his first outfit.

"No, I just use material," Max's eyes darkened in worry,

"that's really dangerous, that could cause permanent damage," he informed his younger brother, who waved the comment off.

"It's only till I get a proper binder," and Max felt that there was nothing to say, but to let his brother get on with it, making a mental note to get his Dad's credit card number and order Jack one online.

Xxx

"I look like you," Jack commented, staring at his reflection; his reflection.

"Well, you are my brother," Max pointed out,

"this is fucking," he paused, starting to cry a little, completely overwhelmed, "amazing. I look like... wow, I look hot. I'll be get all the hot girls, me."

Max laughed, "don't hold your breath, bro."

The front door signalled the arrival of their Mum,

"it's only me, I got tired I did. Yeah, your dad is still up the pub. He don't think I know that he was touching up that Sheila, he think that I don't know but I do." Their Mum rambled on obviously drunk, they exchanged a look, they hadn't discussed what they were going to do or say.

Jack could feel his insides twisting and Max looked nervous.

"Where are my beautiful Max and Kelly?" The mum shouted, in a slightly drunken slur, up the stairs.

They took a deep breath and made their way downstairs.

"Hello son," she greeted, "and who is he? Where's my Kelly?"

Upon her words sinking in she sobered considerably, "you didn't fucking dare!" She shouted at Max, "you are encouraging mental illness, and making your sister into a sick fucker."

"I am a guy," Jack shouted, "not a girl. Max has nothing to do with it."

"Max has nothing to do with it," she repeated, slightly zombie like, "it was only you. You chose to be sick. You chose to be a disgusting freak, and when they find out, they're gonna talk. Everyone's gonna talk. Oh, look at that Anne Jackson, her daughter fancies himself as a boy. That Anne Jackson. Ooh she's one of that sort, isn't she..."

"This isn't about!" Max shouted, "this is about Jack. Jack being who he really is."

"You are as sick as that fucker, cos you think it's right. You think it's _normal_, well it ain't, and you ain't normal. You're a weird freak, who thinks listening to bands no one has ever heard off, cos they are proper shit, makes you cool. Well, it doesn't. And I can't wait till you fuck off to cloud cuckoo land. Then Kelly can get over this ridiculous phase."

"This is not a phase, this is how I feel!" Jack tried to tell her again,

"this country ain't what it used to be. We should move, go to another country where they can sort you out, there are specialists out there. Make you into a nice normal girl."

"I ain't a girl, but I'm normal," Jack replied.

"Even ya brother is more normal than you will ever be, you fucking tranny. You will always be a fucking laughing stock, cos you ain't a person. You're wrong. Ya just wrong. If only you were like the telly, where we could send you back to the factory and they could make you work again, or give us a replacement."

When Jack tried to walk away, she just continued, then she got louder and louder. Till she was full out, screaming bloody murder.

"I would rather by out of this house, than stay here with a sick fucking twisted tranny like you, and I bet you won't miss me" she shouted.

She was met with silence, neither Jack nor Max said anything.

Suddenly everything came crashing done, everything went into super speed.

Mum was screaming, and packing her bags, and turned up completely hammered, then she was gone.

Xxx

As the autumn came Max moved out, into a house with some mates from his new uni.

Leaving their small terraced house, feeling too small and empty for Jack and his Dad.

Jack had taken to cooking, all he could manage was takeaways and pasta.

"How hard is it to cook a fucking steak?" His Dad snapped one day, his temper finally breaking.

"If you want a steak, cook your own," Jack replied, digging into the pasta, trying to pretend that it was delicious.

"Men don't cook,"

"I'm a man," Jack told him patiently,

"no, you're a fucking twisted little girl who is playing dress up. Not living in the real world and it is time to grow up."

Xxx

At school it wasn't much better, changing gender between the years was hard. People talked, whispered, laughed, stared at how meek girl Kelly had become Jack.

People who had paid no attention before tried to befriend him, in a vain attempt to be friends with the _unusual _kid.

Meanwhile other people at his school made it hell. He got beaten in the bathroom, and the teachers had declared he had to use the teacher toilets because he was making the other pupils uncomfortable.

However, he tried to carry on. Keep his head up high and hope it would get better.

And it did.

One day when Max had come home from uni, which was about a mile and a half away, he had stumbled across an argument between father and son, and Max decided he had enough and told Jack to get in his car, while he fought it out with his Dad.

Xxx

At first living with Max was great, sure it was nosy as heck, thanks to his mates but they were alright people.

Though Jack began to notice as the month progressed the fridge went from full to practically empty,

"do you want me to go the shop?" Jack asked Max,

"why?" Max replied, laughing sardonically, "we have no food; only way we can afford the rent, by starving ourselves for the last week of the month."

As time passed Jack found it harder to concentrate at school, his sleep was disrupted by loud music, parties and fights, he was hungry and... he passed out at school.

The next thing he knew he was surrounded by teachers, who forced him to sit still while calling paramedics who took him to hospital to check him out.

Next thing he knew he was being questioned by everyone: doctors, teachers, social workers, the Police.

In the end they concluded that Jack's bad state wasn't through abuse, or neglect but because of circumstance. Causing Jack and Max to breathe a sigh of relief, an incident like that could put an end to Max's teaching career before it even started.

In the end they decided that Jack going into care was the best option; just till he was 16; then he could move back in with his brother and because of his circumstance of ex-care kid he would be entitled to benefits till the end of his compulsory education.

Xxx

In the end they managed to allow Jack to stay with Max for Christmas, then on the 10th January he was taken into care, and Max twisted his arm so he would behave, as Jack displeased with the situation had threatened to boycott, to stir up trouble but a little bit of bribery had put him in his place.

Now it was his first day at St John's, and for the first time, in what seemed like forever, he just wanted to push through get decent GCSEs, because in the end at this point in time, he couldn't rely on the knowledge that he would be able to become a star athlete; play football for England, because there was no guarantee they would even consider letting a trans guy onto the team.

Sport was a place for the gender binary, the cis gendered. He prayed that that would change in the next few years, so he would have time to reach his full potential.

If that didn't happen, then at least he would have decent GCSEs.

**Please note, necessary information. If you want to bind your chest, DO NOT use bandage or material to compress your chest like Jack did. This can cause scarring, deformity and other problems. Instead buy a binder from an official place, and read the safety information from the producer; these are a lot safer and they may be more expensive in the short term, but they will save you from pain in the long run.**

**Also, if you can't afford a binder, I am pretty sure that there are charities out there, that will provide binders to those in need, for only the cost of postage. So if money is a problem, please don't use it as an excuse to the hurt yourself.**

**Xxx**

**Ok, I have been writing this chapter most of today and yesterday and is perhaps the favourite chapter I have ever written.**

**I didn't even plan to write about Jack's back story, and never in mind had I explored it in such depth so this was quite a big risk in that respect.**

**Today (what is left of it i.e. 30 minutes) is exactly one year since Not Alone Anymore (the story this story was based on) has been updated, so please have a minutes silence, for the story that I will hopefully be able to finish, even if the physical fanfic never reads complete.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, which I believe is longest yet and please review xxx**


	56. Finding Frank and the Gender

**Chapter 56**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**I'm glad you both enjoyed Jack's story, and I agree I hate Jack's mum too. She's a complete arse, and deserves to be on my friend's rake list – a list of people she wants to hit with a rake.**

"This is Frank's phone, leave a message after the tone."

Ari rung off, while Faith knocked on the door, "Frank!" She called, "it's Faith. Open up."

"Can we just leave? He's obviously not in," Rick commented,

"no," Faith replied, "or he's avoiding us." Arietta dialled again, while Faith continued banging. Before trying the intercom, "Frank are you in there?"

Ari went straight through to voice mail again, and hung up.

"I'm not doing this," Rick announced, standing up, "I could be with Erin, rather than wasting my time."

Faith sighed, and the two girls followed Rick away from the complex.

"When was the last time you even saw him?" Rick questioned,

"it was two or three weeks ago," Faith replied, "maybe more."

"Wait, isn't that Frank's flat," Rick commented, looking up at window above the fire exit.

"I suppose so," Faith said,

"Rick," Ari started, and Rick quickly climbed it and peered in.

"His flat's empty, no one's there," Rick told them, as he descended.

"But he can't have moved out," Ari argued, "he would have told us."

"Are you sure you've got the right flat?" Faith questioned,

"definitely," Rick replied, and as they exited the complex the found themselves face to face, with a guy a couple of years older than them, with a large dog.

"Do you know Frank Matthews?" He asked, approaching them.

"Who's asking?" Rick asked,

"have you seen him?" He persisted, "tell him I want my money."

"What money?" Faith asked, "where is he?"

"Well, that's what I would like to know," the guy replied, everyone was silent for a moment, "what?"

"Where did you get that chain?" Rick asked, pointing at his neckline, and the guy just walked away.

"Frank's in trouble," Ari stated, pointing out the obvious.

Xxx

"File a missing persons report," Robbie commented, "but why am I getting questioned about Frank's disappearance? He moved out about a week after I came."

"The Police just need to be able to build as solid a picture of what is going on a possible," Mike told him, sighing.

"I just want to know who the girl is," Arietta stated, "this mystery girl he's been hanging round with."

"There is no need to worry," Mike announced to all the kids, "we _will _find him."

"He'll be alright, the Police will find him," Johnny commented, breaking the silence.

"Maybe he doesn't want to be found," Bailey said.

"What are you talking about?" Tee exclaimed,

"I hate to say this, but give the man a break he isn't a care kid any more," Bailey replied.

"Maybe he just wanted to move on," Johnny said, after a moments thought.

"Well, then he should have told us," Tee replied,

"why should he?" Bailey pointed out.

"Cos he's our mate," Tyler added.

For once Jemima had nothing to say, she was just on her laptop, alternating between scrolling and typing.

"He's our family," Tee corrected,

"yeah he's got no one else," Johnny added.

"Well, if you love him so much. Why aren't you out, looking for him?" Bailey questioned, and Jem looked up from her laptop.

"Right," she said leaping to her feet, "who wants to be involved in looking for Frank?" She asked, everyone apart from Erin (who was complaining of back ache, and who was having to go to the toilet every other minute because the baby was kicking her bladder) put their hands up. "Ok, make missing person posters and get ready to hand them out on the street."

Xxx

Before they knew everyone was out, strolling round town, handing out the paper asking strangers if they'd seen him.

They were down to the last few fliers when they ended up outside a pawnbrokers shop.

"That's Frank's watch," Tee said, noticing it in the window and everyone peered to at it.

"We need to find out about it," Jemima declared, walking into the shop.

"Good day," the man behind the counter greeted,

"that watch in the window; gold, late Victorian, and surprisingly unique," Jemima told him, plainly.

He said nothing, just fetched it from the display.

"Do you know who sold it?" She asked,

"no," he told her, "I wasn't on that day."

The kids were silent for a moment, "are you buying it or what?" The man questioned,

"we don't have any cash on us at the moment," Ari told him, "can you hold it..."

"No. Cash only. First come, first served," he explained, "I have other customers interested."  
"Really?" Rick replied, "have you?"

"Girl who was in before," he told them, and they all exchanged a look, "said she'll be back soon."

"May we just browse?" Jem questioned, and the man nodded, and the kids took to staring at the random artefacts.

"What are we doing?" Ari hissed,

"waiting?" Jem replied back, picking up a vase, "ooh, a Nishiura Enji vase, very nice. Ceramic... not bad, I'd place this at around 1910 from Japan."

"Very good," the man behind the counter replied, more than slightly surprised.

"You should be on Antiques Road Show," Ari told her,

"nah," Jack commented, "she ain't no Fiona Bruce."

Their discussion was discontinued by a teenage girl walking into the shop, and heading straight to the till.

"I have the money," she told the man, "give me my watch."

Her English was accented, but good and everyone looked up in surprise.

"Your watch!" Ari exclaimed,

"yes," she told her in reply, "it was my Mother's."

"She's lying," the Chinese girl declared, and the girl went to sprint out the shop but she was caught by Rick.

"She was saying it was her watch," Ari told him,

"we just want to speak to you," Rick told her, calmly.

"No English," she replied, trying to get away.

"That's funny," Ari told her, "cos you spoke pretty good English back there."

"Have you seen this boy?" Rick asked, showing her the poster.

"No understand," she told them.

"Cos you definitely have," he pulled out as phone and took a picture of her,

"no photo," she raised her hand, trying to hide her face.

"We'll just ask around," Ari said, "maybe we'll ask the police."

"Not the police," she begged, "no photo. No Police."

She suddenly collapsed to the ground.

"What happened?" She asked moments later,

"I think you just fainted," Ari commented, looking back inside the shop where Jemima was still admiring the vases, and Jack seemed to be still talking about Fiona Bruce.

Rick went to help her up, and she jumped to her feet and pushed him to the ground, before running off.

"It's fine," he said, as he was pulled to his feet by Robbie and Tee, "I've got a picture on my phone," he checked for his phone, but found it was gone.

"I have to say," Jemima commented, as she walked out of the shop, "that was one hell of a vase, and that girl was one hell of a pickpocket."

"Yeah," Rick admitted, quite put out, "she's good."

They were distracted by Ari's phone ringing, "hey Faith," she picked up, "yeah, um... yeah, ok thanks."

"Have they found him?" Tee asked,

"he's was spotted, crashing into a man, outside a chip shop," she told them.

"So, up to the old burger dive then," Rick commented.

"Burger dive?" Robbie asked,

"we should look for a burger van," Tee stated, "his must pretty desperate, he hasn't done a burger dive in years."

Xxx

It was about half an hour later when they were approaching their third burger van that they saw a figure pick out something from a bin, and walk straight into a man, before falling to the ground.

"Wait," Rick said, holding them back. As people crowded rounded Frank, the girl from before sneaked up behind them and took what appeared to be their wallets.

"They must be working together now." Ari stated, as they approached them.

Rick walked ahead pushing the girl away from the lady whose purse she was about to steal, "don't make a fuss," he told her, plucking the wallet out of her hand, "excuse me mate," he said, tapping the guy on his shoulder, "I think you dropped your wallet," and he handed it back.

While Robbie and Jack helped Frank up.

"Frank, where have you been?" Ari asked, when the crowd disappeared.

"I've been... I've been... I've been around," he told them, "look, I'm ok."

"Now you're not," Tee replied,

"we are leaving now," the girl told them, "if you try and stop us, I will scream."

"If you are leaving, we are coming with you," Ari told her.

"Look look, these are my friends," Frank explained to the girl, "I can explain."

"Go ahead," Jemima replied, there was silence.

"Alright," the girl told them, "come." They started to follow her, and she turned back around, "not all of you."

The group looked around, "I'll go back," Jack stated, and surprisingly Jemima stepped back too.

"I'll go as well," she said, and Tee nodded joining her.

"Is three ok?" Rick asked, pointing at himself, Ari and Robbie, and the girl nodded, before leading the way.

Xxx

The girl and Frank led them to a bridge, where the girl handed a couple of coins to woman.

"She looks after us," Frank explained,

"you've been living here!" Robbie exclaimed,

"nothing wrong with living under a bridge," Ari commented, "that's what I did when I first came to England. Bai, my brother headed up North while Symph, my sister and I ended up living under a bridge that crossed the Thames. Luckily we weren't there for very long."

"But Frank has a flat," Robbie pointed out.

"I can't go back there," Frank told them,

"what? Cos you owe money?" Rick guessed.

"He played cards with bad people," the girl explained, "first he won. Then he lost, a lot."

"How much did you lose?" Ari asked.

"Everything," Frank admitted.

"Not everything," the girl corrected, pulling out his watch, "take it, it's a gift."

"I can't believe you did that," Frank replied, hugging her.

"Well you helped me," she reminded him, "I was sleeping in shop doorway. Frank gave me food, where we talk. When Frank came to me in trouble, I had to help."

"By stealing people's money," Rick pointed out,

"what?" Frank stated, "she doesn't steal."

"She picks people's pockets when they try and help you," Ari explained.

"Sorry mate, we all saw her," Rick added.

"You trick people for food, I steal their money. It's the same thing."

"No, it isn't," Frank protested, "I'm not a thief."

"But if you have to choose; steal or stuff?"

"But do you have to choose?" Rick asked, and she shrugged.

"You can't live like this," Ari told Frank honestly,

"it's fine," he replied, "I'm going to win my money back."

"How?" Rick asked.

There was silence for a moment, Robbie just looked around the camp.

"You can't bet on another game," Ari told him,

"this one is different," Frank tried to explain.

"So you sold your watch, buying money for a game," Rick stated.

"I will win the money back, and get it back," he explained,

"give me the watch," she said, holding out her hand.

"But you said it's a gift," Frank argued.

"Not for you to lose at cards," she replied, "I'll keep it safe for you."

"Fine," he admitted, dumping it in his hand.

"Frank, please, don't do this," Ari said.

"I'm alright, leave me alone," Frank stormed off.

There was silence for a moment,

"can you please, just tell him to come back to the Dumping Ground," Ari asked.

"The Dumping Ground?"

"Yeah," Robbie said, speaking for the first time, "it's our care home. It's better than it sounds, trust me. Better than living with my Dad."

"I'll go and speak to him," Rick said, going after Frank.

"Yeah, Frank lived there since he was little," Ari explained to the girl.

"What about you two?" She asked,

"Two months," Robbie told her,

"five months," Ari added.

"Why?" She asked,

"my Dad's in prison, and my Mum can't look after me," Robbie explained, she turned to Ari.

"It's complicated," Ari started, "but the bottom line is I'm in England, my family is in China. I don't want to go back to China, and I have no family in England. Probably. My brother might still be here, he's probably been deported for being an illegal immigrant," she argued, "anyway, there is no one to look after me, so I live at the Dumping Ground."

There was silence for a moment, "what about you?" Robbie asked,

"it doesn't matter," she told him, he paused for a moment.

"Are you from Somalia?" He asked, and she was silent. "Thought so,"

"is that the pirate place?" Ari questioned,

"yeah," Robbie explained, "there's a civil war there."

"How did you guess?" She asked,

"my parent's were from Somalia," he told her, "they managed to get out before it got bad."

"It was bad," she replied.

Silence hung for a second.

"What's your name? I forgot to ask," Ari said, breaking the moment.

"Kazima," the girl replied.

Xxx

"Frank you should just walk away," Rick said, "accept that you have lost that money, and come back to the Dumping Ground. That way you've got your watch back and still got a bit of money. Get out before you lose everything."

"I won't," Frank protested, "I told you; this game's different."

"Yeah, how's it different Frank?" Rick asked, and before he knew Frank started spouting information about a girl and a system, that he could use to win.

"Frank!" A girl said, running up to hug him, "where were you? We were so worried about you."

"This is Grace," Frank introduced,

"you got my money," the guy from earlier asked him, and Frank gulped,

"yeah," he said, handing it over. "And now, I want a rematch."

"Well then, let's play."

They all headed inside, and Rick went to follow, but the guy held him back.

"We have no spectators."

Xxx

As Kazima, Robbie and Ari made their way into the complex, they saw Rick peering through the window of Frank's flat.

"Frank's in trouble," Rick announced, standing up and descending the stairs. Kazima stopped him,

"wait." She made her way back up to the top with Rick. They saw Frank handing over money to the guy before rushing out, while Grace, Frank's _girlfriend _from earlier embraced the other guy.

"Frank mate, not again," Rick exclaimed,

"this has happened before?" Kazima asked,

"yeah," he told her, "pretty girl and his brain goes out the window."

"Not so pretty," Kaz stated.

They made there way down the stairs,

"you're being scammed," Ari told him, as Frank out the door.

"Yeah, we all saw it," Rick added.

"I can't believe I fell for it," Frank declared, "I'm such a loser."

"No you're not," Rick told him firmly, "I'm going to get your cash back, I've got a plan. I'll tell you at home."

"I can't go back to the Dumping Ground!"

"Yes you can," Kazima told him, "you should. You have friends that care about you there."

"Yeah, what she said," Rick added, and Ari nodded.

"Ok," Frank said after a moment, "but only if you come with me."

"No," she replied, "no way."

"Then I'm staying."

"Right," Rick snapped, "just come for dinner. Eat all the free food you can eat, and you don't have to answer any questions you don't want to. Promise."

Xxx

"You're here," Erin exclaimed, hugging Frank before moving away so Faith could hug him.

"The lucky bird poo worked," Floss exclaimed, going to hug Frank, even though she had never met him before.

"What?" Ari asked,

"they trashed the garden trying to get birds to shit on them, cos they reckon it was good luck," Jack explained.

"Good to have you back," Mike greeted Frank,

"Mike, this is Kazima," Rick told him, "friend of Frank's."

"Hello Kazima," Mike said,

"is she alright to stay for dinner?"

"That's fine," Mike told them, "what's happened with Frank?"

"Just problems at the flat, you know?" Rick replied, telling the half truth, "can he sleep on my floor tonight?"

"Yeah, sure... we'll work something out."

Xxx

"So you gambled all your money away," Johnny stated, "again?!"

"It's not Frank's fault, he was scammed," Tee argued, and Jemima looked rather directly away, not stating her disagreement.

"You want us to help you commit fraud?" Johnny asked,

"stop being so over dramatic," Jem stated, "you're acting like it's some big deal, like that rather exquisite Nishiura Enji vase we found earlier."

"You're obsessed with that vase!" Ari exclaimed,

"Melanie's a fan, her birthday is within the next twelve months. I ought to be prepared," Jemima replied.

"Anyway back to the relevant stuff," Faith interrupted,

"you say fraud, I say justice," Kazima stated,

"I like your thinking," Jemima replied.

"Yeah, they took Frank's money. We'll take theirs," Tee added.

"Tee, don't get involved," Johnny replied, and Jem raised her eyebrows at her boyfriend, who diverted his gaze to an empty corner of the room.

"Too right, you don't know what you're getting yourself into," Bailey pointed out, "these people could be well messed up."

"I'm not asking for anything that risky," Rick told them, "now shut up. Girls, got any jewellery that looks expensive?"

"That's so heteronormative," Ari muttered, and Jack snorted, "what is so funny?" She questioned,

"just sounds like something my brother would say," he admitted.

"Anyway, all my jewellery has sentimental value, I'm not risking losing it," she told them.

"Ok, anyone?" Rick asked.

"None of my jewellery looks that expensive," Erin told them,

"ok fine, you can have my Tiffany ring," Ari said, unhooking it and handing it to Faith.

"A Tiffany ring!" Erin exclaimed,

"it's fake, but it's a good fake," she told them, "so looks expensive, but the only value it has is sentimental. So I _better _get it back. Or I am getting a law suit," Ari paused, "and Jem's my lawyer."

"So when are we going to do it?" Faith asked,

"whoa, whoa, whoa. We?" Frank questioned,

"you're going to need a second person to make the scam work; I'm the oldest," she replied, "and I've got my crutches still."

"I like Faith's thinking," Rick told him,

"why does she need her crutches?" Erin asked.

"Cos who is going to suspect the poor lame girl?" Faith replied rhetorically.

Xxx

"Frank! Frank!" Faith said, buzzing the intercom, "Frank! Frank! Frank!"

The door opened, "Frank's not here," the guy from earlier said, with Grace at his side.

"Can I come in?" Faith asked, Rick behind her. "Please I left something here, something _really _important."

"There's nothing here," he replied, "the place is empty."

"Don't worry," Rick said, placing a comforting hand of Faith's shoulder, "Frank's probably looking after it."

"Looking after what?" Grace questioned, intrigued.

"My engagement ring," Faith replied, "I'll just die if I don't get it back."

"And you think Frank's got it?" She asked,

"I know it's here, I've looked everywhere else," she told them, she paused, then handed them a card with a (fake) number on it. "Call me if you find it. Please."

"Expensive, was it?" The guy questioned,

"priceless," Faith told him, "it was a Tiffany ring. I'd pay anything to get it back. Anything."

Grace and the guy exchanged a look, clearly formulating a plan, before closing the door.

"How did it go?" Frank asked, when Faith and Rick left the compound.

"Faith was on fire, where did you learn to act like that?"

"Lying to social workers," she explained, "you ready?" She asked Frank, he nodded before heading in with Kazima.

"Good luck mate," Rick told him.

Xxx

"You took your time," the guy stated, when he opened the door to Frank.

"Who's this?" He asked, looking at Kazima.

"This is my friend," Frank told him, and he reluctantly let them both in.

"Frank!" Grace exclaimed, embracing him, "did you get the watch?"

"Yes," he told her, and Kazima immediately went other to the sofa, and went onto her knees.

"What is she doing?" The guy questioned,

"she's picked something up," Grace stated.

"Look," Kazima said, showing them all, "it's the ring."

"Faith's engagement ring," Frank exclaimed, taking it off Kazima. "Alright, I'll give you the watch."

"Forgot the watch," the guy told them, "give me the ring instead."

"I can't, it's not mine!" Frank exclaimed,

"finders, keepers," Grace reminded him, "nobody knows you've got it."

Frank was silent for a moment,

"I do," Kazima said, "but I can keep a secret, for the right price."

"That's how you work?" The guy replied, he turned to Frank, "give me that ring, and I'll pack you back everything."

"Everything?" Frank asked,

"all the money we ever won off you. How about it? You can share with her if like. Have we got a deal?"

"Yes," Frank replied, handing the ring over and taking the cash.

Xxx

"Did it work?" Rick asked,

"got the money," Frank replied,

"I wonder if he's called me yet?" Faith wondered.

"Do you think he will miss this?" Kazima asked, holding up Frank's chain which he had stolen.

"FRANK!" He heard the guy shout, and they all burst into a sprint.

As they reached the end of the road the minibus rolled up, and the door was opened.

"Bailey thought you might need a lift," Mike explained, "seat belts on and you are explaining all of this when we get home."

He closed the door and drove off just as the guy, Grace and his dog reached them.

"Fuck!" Grace swore,

"at least we've still got the ring," the guy pointed out.

"Not for very much longer," a Welsh voice rung out, and they spun round to see Jemima sitting on the wall with a video camera, "no keep talking," she urged them, "it's all more evidence for the Police."  
"The Police!" Grace froze,

"yes Grace, the Police has been watching you for some time," Jemima told them, "you too mate, and if I hand over this video tape then I guess you may be looking at prison but..." she held up her finger, "if you give me the ring, then I'll give you the tape, and we'll go our separate ways. How does that sound?"

"Look..." Danny started,

"no, Danny," she jumped off the wall, and approached him, "sweetheart. My Mum's a prolific lawyer, she would be _very _happy to defend me, in order to get her ring back."

Danny gulped, "give her the ring," Grace told him, and he sighed, before holding out his hand for the tape and offering her the ring.

She snatched the ring and dumped the tape in his hand before sprinting away.

Little did they know that if they played the footage back: it was just a video of Frank laughing.

Xxx

"Look, we were just helping out a mate," Rick told them,

"well you should have left it to the proper authorities," May Li replied, hands on hips, voice stern.

"Then Frank wouldn't have got his money back," Faith argued,

"you don't even know these people," May Li snapped, "you could have gotten into very serious trouble here."  
"Well we didn't," Faith reminded her,

"you think?" May Li asked, "you're all grounded, until you can prove to me that you can be trusted."

"That's so unfair," Faith complained,

"but Erin's got her scan tomorrow," Rick pointed out,

"we can make an exception for that," May Li replied, "and you," she turned to Kazima. "Do your parents even know where you are tonight?"

Kazima remained silent.

"Look, we need to have a word with them," May Li told her,

"you can't," Kazima replied, and May Li softened.

"It's not my job to snitch on you, but you have to realise; all of you did a very stupid thing tonight, and imagine if something did happen to you today. How do you think your parents would feel?"

Kazima returned to silence.

Xxx

"Why didn't you tell us what was going on?" Mike asked Frank,

"I thought I could handle it," he replied, "and I did."

"With a bit of help from the others,"

"well... yeah..."

"Frank, if you ever need help, you only have to ask. You don't have to face the world on your own?" Mike told him.

"Well Mike. I don't need your pity," Frank snapped, standing up.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it cos I don't feel sorry for you. I'm angry. I mean it. I don't want to have to go through another day like today; do you understand me?"

"Look, I moved out," Frank replied, "you don't get to tell me off any more."

Mike snorted, "I don't care about how old you are. I don't care where you live," he voice raised to a shout, "but I do care about you, and do you think, for one second that that changes when you walk out that door?! Do you?!"

Frank sat back down, "don't ever do that to us again," Mike told him,

"I won't," Frank replied, "promise."

"Glad to hear it," Mike said, sitting down next to him, "so... what do we do now?"

"Can I move back in?" Frank asked,

"if that's what you want. We can try and make that happen," Mike told him.

"What about Kazima?" Frank asked, looking up to see Kazima approaching the office.

He got up and walked out to meet her, she passed him his watch.

"Look after it," she told him, "or I'll be very angry with you. Understand?"

"Yeah,"

"good," she walked past him and out the door, "Kazima. Wait. Kaz. Wait. Mike said you can stay,"

"Mike said that?" She questioned,

"well... he needs to go to child services," he admitted,

"what is child services?" She asked, "Frank, what did you tell him?"

Frank backed away from her, "nothing."

"You told him I was sleeping on streets?" She asked, "that is not ok. They could send me back. You know what that means..."

"Mike won't let that happen, trust him."

"No," she replied, "it's too risky."

"It's risky living on the streets,"  
"I can look after myself," she snapped, "I don't need your charity."

"But I need to know that you're safe," Frank replied,

"why? What does it matter?"

"Because _I _care about you," he told her, "please."

"I have to go," she replied, "goodbye Frank," and with that she ran away.

Frank made no effort to chase after her, or change her mind. He just stood there watching her retreating figure; praying for her safety.

Xxx

"Thanks for getting my ring back," Ari said, as her and Jemima were getting ready for bed.

"It wasn't hard," the Welsh girl replied, "a little bit of persuasion and they handed it over with no problem. It was boringly easy; I was hoping for a least a little bit of resistance."

"I was surprised that you weren't more interested in finding out more about what was going on," Ari stated, "I thought going with Frank and Kazima to find out the truth, would have been right up your street."

"I had other things on my mind," Jem told her, "and homework to do. Plus I do have some of my GCSEs this year."

"But you are only a year nine!" Arietta exclaimed,

"but I am a bloody genius," she replied.

"Which exams are you taking?"

"Maths and Welsh, so nothing that hard..."

"Ew..." Ari replied, crinkling up her nose.

There was silence for a moment, "so basically you didn't look into a mystery because you had revision and homework...?"

"Yes," Jem told her, "I was helping Jack with his maths, cos he's doing it this year too. Also my friend Chastity,"

"ooh Chastity, who is she?" Ari asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"A girl in my class in school, she is decent; unlike the rest of those brain-dead children," she explained, "anyway, we had to do a French project together and Mike refused to drive me to her house, and no public transport goes close to her house. So we had to arrange a time that we were both free to Skype; which was this afternoon. Thus meaning that was unavailable to go with Frank and Kazima; anyway the situation appears to have been handled adequately, so I do not regret my choice."

"So, what's the deal with you and Jack?" Arietta questioned, "I mean, like, only last month you two got into a fight, and now you are all buddy buddy."

"Jack's alright," Jemima told her,

"he's quite cute," Ari acknowledged.

"You're a lesbian," Jemima replied, a little concerned that the other girl appeared to have forgotten her sexuality.

"I still have eyes," the Chinese girl stated, "and my eyes like what they see. I mean he could be a model, like a Ruby Rose-esque andro model."

"Ruby Rose? Andro?"

"Ruby Rose is a model, and actress, and DJ. She is very hot," Ari paused for a second, almost in appreciation, before continuing, "and she is well known for her androgynous style; which reminds of Jack, because looks wise, Jack is pretty andro."

"Honestly, I haven't noticed," Jemima replied,

"what?!" Ari exclaimed, before smirking, "have you only got eyes for Johnny?"

"Maybe..." Jem told her, blushing and trying to duck her head so Arietta didn't see.

"Awwh, that's soooooo cute," she cooed, clutching her hands together. "I ship Johnmima, so hard."

"Is that our "_ship_" name?" She asked, doing air quotations to accompany the word _ship_.

"Yes! Erin and Rick are Erick. Sam and I are Sarietta Postbox. And you and Johnny are Johnmima."

"You _really _need to get a life," the Welsh girl exclaimed,

"says the girl who can name all the prime ministers in order!" Ari pointed out.

"It's not that difficult," Jemima tried to tell her, "I mean: Sir Robert Walpole, Earl of Wilmington, Henry Pelham, Duke of Newcastle, Duke of Devonshire..."

Xxx

"James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron," Jemima finished with a flourish.

"You know you could have just made up those names, and I would be none the wiser," Ari told her, "I am honestly more familiar with the American Presidents. They have Obama at the moment."

"Do you know any other Presidents?" Jem questioned.

"There was a Bush," Ari paused, "and possibly a Hedge."

"Two Bushes, no hedges."

"Well, I reckon they ought to be more diverse," Arietta stated,

"Arietta. Don't get your hopes up; it's America."

Xxx

If he could block everyone out, just for the few more weeks at the school then Jack knew he'd be fine; the amount he could afford to open up was playing football on the field with the other guys at Lunch.

PE was another matter, he couldn't change in guys changing room without fear, yet it looked weird that he had to go and get changed in the teacher's toilets near reception. The PE teachers were the most on guard teachers around him, he could tell by how, when he scored an impressive goal or finished cross country with an impressive time, they would open their mouth; to recommend that he would try out for the football team or cross country club, then they would remember who he was; remember _what _he was, and their mouths would snap shut.

After he had been kicked out of his last football club he had tried to get into new ones; they were interested when they saw his ability, but as soon as they learnt about him being trans, they would become distanced, less interested; tell him they couldn't cater to his _ability_.

It was exactly the same for school clubs; girls couldn't compete in male sport events, and Jack was legally female, and had to remain this way till he was 18!

Two more years of being refused, and turned away, and not being able to fit in with the gender he associated with; two more years of not being able to take part in football; non-professional football; recreational football!

He found himself overwhelmed with jealousy for the majority of the population; the ones who had never experienced gender dysphoria; who never would. Who would have their gender questioned, or, indeed, feel the need to justify it. The people who wouldn't be held back from their dreams by the thing that was/wasn't between their legs.

On the way to school Bailey had been raving about how Premier League scout, Viv Anderson would be at his football practice in two weeks, and how he needed to be taken (temporarily) off the chore rota so he could spend extra time practising. Jack found himself wishing that he was in Bailey's place; to be allowed to try out like anyone else, and perhaps getting in; a mundane miracle. Wishing it could be that simple for him.

But it wasn't.

And perhaps he should be putting his mind to revising, rather than dreaming about football – and a society – that catered to him.

Xxx

Erin and Rick sat in the back seat of Mike's car, hands clamped together, Erin resting her head on Rick's shoulder.

"Are you sure that you want to find out the gender?" Rick asked, Erin nodded, hand stroking her increasingly prominent bump.

The check up went much like normal, the usual checks were carried out, and all showed the baby to be healthy.

"We were wondering," Rick started, looking to Erin, to double check. She nodded again. "If you could tell us the gender?"

"Of course, of course," the Doctor told them, moving to his computer and going back to the ultrasound.

Everyone was silent for a couple of moments as he examined what he was seeing;

"you are having a little boy," he told them after what felt like an age.

Rick looked to Erin nervously, he knew that Erin had envisioned the baby as a girl, and he was praying that she wasn't too disappointed.

"Guessing I can't call him Mia then?" She asked, smiling.

"Absolutely not," Rick replied, grinning back, happy that his girlfriend wasn't upset by the fact it was a little boy. _He was going to have a son! _It suddenly hit Rick. "We are having a son!" He exclaimed, and the baby kicked back in response.

"Hello son," Erin said, stroking the skin which he had just kicked, "can you please stop kicking my bladder? It is very annoying having to spend all day on toilet."

The baby kicked, "is that a yes or a no?" She questioned, it kicked again. "Look," she addressed her bump, "you _will _stop kicking my bladder because I am your Mummy, and you need to treat me with respect.

Kick.

"Do you think he understands?" Rick asked,

"if he doesn't. I'll make him understand," Erin mock-threatened the baby, who kicked again, "well at least it's not my bladder." Another kick.

Erin froze, "are you serious?" She questioned, eyebrows raised, staring at her stomach. Kick. Kick. Kick. She looked up at the Doctor, "where's the nearest bathroom?" She questioned, "he's kicking my bladder again."

Rick couldn't help but laugh.

**Another long chapter, I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Do you like longer chapters like this? Or would you prefer shorter chapters? **

**Please review xxx**


	57. Sam's Birthday

**Chapter 57**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Guest for reviewing, my message about not being responsible for Jemima's actions was more a precautionary warning for anyone who gets offended easily, because Jem is not the most considerate person in the world.**

**This chapter was not intended to be long, but some how it has ended up being the longest one I have _ever _written, so I hope you enjoy it :)**

"Hi Mike! Hi Jem!" Ari greeted as she walked into the lounge, they appeared to be watching some kind of documentary, while everyone else – including May Li – was passed on the sofa. "Um... what happened?" She questioned,

"they fell asleep," Jemima replied, "they were probably tired out from the challenge."

"Challenge?"

"Basically half of them wanted to watch the football, and everyone else wanted to watch a talent show program," Mike told her,

"so you put on a boring documentary, and bored them all to sleep?" She guessed,

"not quite," the Welsh girl replied, "and contrary to popular – _teenage –_ belief, it is actually rather interesting."

"Am I going to get an explanation any time soon?" Ari asked, and both Mike and Jem shushed her, "evidently not," she muttered, before heading upstairs to her room.

Yesterday Tyler had gone to see his Mum for the first time in years, meanwhile Mo had set loose about 50 locusts causing complete mayhem within the Dumping Ground. When that situation had been rectified Mo decided that it was time to get rid of his good for nothing snake.

Today Arietta had headed into town, firstly because she had some research she needed to do for her history controlled assessment, and her history teacher (who, interestingly, seemed to be stuck in the past) who point-blank refused to accept the internet as a genuine source for information, and insisted on using books. So she had to take out enough books for herself, and Erin; who Arietta made a point of trying to avoid, as kindness... perhaps? She knew spending much time around Erin would result in personal negativity, rooted mostly from memories and jealousy. Which would, in turn, course Ari to snap and start a fight with the heavily pregnant teenager; something Ari felt that she ought to avoid doing.

Erin was also in Ari's history class, so also needed books and she had volunteered to come with Ari, but Arietta would have had to carry the books for her since her doctor had urged her against heavy lifting. So since Ari would be continuing into town she had manage to persuade Erin (quite easily) that her presence was not required.

After all, the conversation all the way into the library would be focused around the baby, not because Erin was being cruel, but because A. she was excited, B. she didn't know about Ari's past and C. they never really talked much, other than in reference to school, so Erin had no idea about what to talk about to Arietta (especially since the Chinese girl's responses were often non-committal shrugs and noises), thus making the one sided conversation about the baby an incredibly easy option.

After the library Arietta had a new mission; supplies. Specifically supplies for Sam's birthday.

Which looking at it retrospectively, with everything laid out on her floor, she may have gone slightly over of the top. Admittedly 15 presents to celebrate Sam's 15th birthday was a good idea, but it had ended up being _very _costly for her girlfriend, and while she knew Sam would appreciate it, she would also feel that the magnitude of the presents was slightly ridiculous.

But then again Sam found Ari _slightly_ ridiculous, so all in all, it was quite fitting really.

The 15 presents were all very different, but she hoped that Sam would see or remember the story behind each of them.

The cheaper presents were nothing special: a Freddo, because Sam was always complaining about their raising prices; a pen, since she drove Sam mad by _borrowing _her pens (and never returning them); a postbox shaped pencil sharpener; a box of nerds, because Sam was one; and finally, a guitar pick reading: _pick Jesus_, which Ari had felt was _very _appropriate, for their ungodly lesbian behaviour.

The rest of the presents were a little more expensive: DVD of Juno, because it starred (the newly gay) Ellen Page; three different CDs; an inflatable flamingo (because it was ridiculously camp like Ari); a toy Bee, because Ari thought it was cute; a rainbow bracelet; a Frozen poster.

Then finally it came to the last two presents, the first was a necklace, and while Sam wasn't a jewellery person she knew that she would like this piece; it was a necklace reading _Shine_ and looking at the pictures of Sam's sister Ari knew that it was her style; that it would have suited her, and like Sam once said; _we should never stop remembering the people who were (and are) important to us_.

The last present had been a slight collaboration with Sam's grandparents, and her own ability to nick Sam's spare photographs. It was a photo frame, with 12 sections. Arietta had spend many hours whittling the vast collection of photographs she had down to 12 photos, arranged in chronological order.

The first picture was Lynne and Aldo's wedding, where they were young, happy and smiling. The second photo was taken on a family holiday in 1980, Savina (Sam's mum) was 7, and her little sister Mahria was 3, and Lynne and Aldo were hugging their daughters, and grinning; they still smiled a lot, and laughed, and could talk for England and Italy respectively, but there was a still an air of sadness that surrounded them. Never had Lynne and Aldo in the pictures envisioned the fact that they would outlive both their daughters, the daughters who only made it to 29 and 30.

They never even considered the possibility that they would outlive their granddaughter they had never met, or knew existed for that matter.

Arietta was amazed by how strong Lynne and Aldo had been, they had lived for years not knowing where their daughters were, yet when Sam had appeared into their life, they had taken her in and loved her whole heartedly; despite the fact that Sam had come burdened with the news that neither had lived to see them again.

The third picture was a family photo taken by Sam's dad showing her Mum sat in a hospital bed, looking exhausted but still smiling at the bundle she was holding. Shine, who was nearly 5, dressed in dungarees with her blonde hair in plaits, was leaning over to stare at her new sister.

The next photo showed the sisters in their back garden, Sam was about 1, and starting to walk; the picture showed Shine holding her hand and helping her to walk.

The fifth picture showed the four of them together, they were on holiday and they had been staying in a caravan with a veranda. Sam, aged 2 was sitting on the railing, held securely by her Dad, meanwhile 7 year old Shine was grinning a toothy smile, showing off her missing teeth and their Mum was laughing; looking like a perfect family, something that was incredibly far from the reality.

The sixth photo showed only Sam, Shine and their Mum. It had been taken in Italy, on a few days before their Mum had passed away. Despite the fact that their Dad wasn't there Sam and Shine had never looked happier, and it was only looking at that photo that made Ari realise just how young Sam had been when she had lost her Mum; 3 and a half, little more than a toddler. Perhaps it was worse to remember that Shine had been 9 and a half at that point; Sam had been able to retain some of her childhood innocence but Shine had been made almost solely responsible for her little sister.

Admittedly at 9 and a half Ari hadn't been the most normal kid, it was around the time that her and Symph had been drafted into the orchestra, after being homeless. But despite being homeless she was still innocent, because Symph shielded her eyes, tried to preserve her positive outlook at the world.

Shine had tried to do the same thing for Sam, but Symphony was an adult; over twice Shine's age. While Shine was younger than Mo was now, and only a couple months older than Harry's current age; that really put things in perspective.

The seventh picture was taken 7 years later, showing Sam as an awkwardly gangly 10 year old and Shine as 16, but looking older; a lot older, despite being only just over a year older than Sam and Ari were then. However, despite the conditions that they had lived in, didn't appear to have destroyed their morale, they were still smiling; though that could be because smiling was easier than crying, or maybe just their relief shining through.

In the next photo Sam and Shine's happiness seemed more natural, and the two of them seemed more relaxed; more at ease. It was the last picture of the two of them.

For the ninth picture Arietta had been unsure of which photo to use, since she knew that Sam wanted to leave the section of her life where she derailed, got into trouble and hurt people in the past, yet skipping to a picture of at Elmtree House had seemed to sudden...

But life was sudden so she put a picture taken after they had discovered that Rick's tumour had disappeared, everyone was basking in happiness; so so relieved that their friend was ok. It was a picture taken when the dumping ground tensions were practically non-existent, something she had never experienced, though Ari did suspect that a large part of the tensions was due to her.

The tenth photo was great, it was taken at the Christmas fair; the Christmas fair where Sam had made her decision, taken her hand and made Ari her girlfriend. That was nearly three months ago... wow. Part of Ari couldn't believe it was _only _three months ago, and the other part felt that it had happened yesterday, or today, or... whenever.

She knew Sam would grin at the _whenever, _and claim she was being "_so her" _a phrase which confused Ari slightly, because she was herself, and who else was anyone expecting her to be? Madonna?

The eleventh picture had been taken by Tracy at Christmas, and it included everyone (that it could include) that Sam would want to be there, apart from Robbie, because at Christmas he was still suffering at home, and Ari couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt; she knew what was going on, and she could have protected him and his Mum, but instead let him suffer for months before acting. She shook her head, telling her conscience to leave her alone and let her focus on Sam's present.

The twelfth spot was blank, because while Ari had photos she could put in the gap she felt that Sam ought to decide what photo she put there.

Finally the main section of the present was done. The other sections were easier; most only required wrapping. The only thing that required any extra work was one of the CDs.

When Sam was little her Mum used to play her a lullaby on her violin, when Sam gave Ari the violin she had been able to recreate it. Arietta knew that whenever Sam heard her practising she wanted to ask Ari to play it, but didn't, for fear of being annoying; though Ari usually went ahead and played it anyway.

For one of Sam's presents she had recorded herself playing the lullaby and burned it onto a CD so Sam could listen to it whenever she wanted; she also had a mp3 file that she would send to Sam's phone at some point, so her girlfriend didn't need to worry about transferring it from CD to her phone.

She turned her attention to wrapping the presents, she was heading to Sam's before school the next day, so Sam could open her presents before having to face a day of torture.

Ari quickly wrapped the presents, making sure to have them finished before Jem reappeared, because she knew the Welsh girl would not approve of her mathematically disproportionate wrapping, and would attempt to intervene, before questioning Ari over every single present; something the Chinese girl was too tired to deal with.

Arietta quickly scribbled a note to Jem, explaining that she was asleep and would appreciate quiet, and left it outside the bedroom door, along with the book Jem was reading, and pyjamas. Hopefully giving her opportunity to fall asleep, and stay asleep for the entire night.

Chance would be a fine thing.

Xxx

"How many times did you wake up in the night?" Jemima questioned the next morning, as she pulled on her school uniform.

"Only three times in nine hours, so pretty good going," Ari replied, already dressed and checking her school bag, and Sam's presents. "Are you nearly done?"

Jemima rolled her eyes, "I leave the house at 7:36, I have 6 minutes and 23 seconds till I am going to leave, and moaning about it, will _not _change this factor."

Fortunately Sam's house was on the direct route to the train station where Jem caught her train to school, so Mike had agreed to take the Chinese girl with him, and drop her off round the corner from Sam's house, before continuing with Jemima.

Arietta headed downstairs, deliberately avoiding breakfast because she knew it was pointless, and Aldo would undoubtedly try and feed her some of his gorgeous home cooking, which was far more exciting than Morrison's own cornflakes.

As she waited she avoided the temptation to text Sam, she wanted to surprise her girlfriend. Sam was not one to make a big deal about her own birthday, so had not mentioned it to Ari, and since she had brought it up and Ari had mentioned it either, then the blonde girl was probably presuming that Ari had forgotten, and Ari couldn't wait to prove her wrong she was.

Xxx

_I'm outside_

Ari texted Aldo, praying that he remembered his part in the plan. She was stood in the back garden and was waiting for Aldo to let her in, so she could sneak up on her girlfriend and surprise her.

She heard the door unlock and heard Aldo hiss into the garden, "agent Alpha Romeo India, can you hear me?"

"Hearing you loud and clear," Ari replied, sneaking in through the open door.

He closed it quietly.

"They are in the living room," he told her, but not quietly enough.

"Who are you talking to Nonno?" Sam asked, and Ari could her her approaching, and quickly ducked behind the kitchen counter.

"Um... no one," he replied, not meeting her eye,

"Nonno," Sam replied, crossing her arms, and raising her eyebrow.

"I was not talking to anyone," he told her, "I definitely wasn't talking to Ari..."

"Ari?" the blonde asked,

"yeah, I wasn't talking to her, because she's not here. Obviously."

"So is it my birthday challenge to find Ari?" Sam questioned, laughing, "I would look in the closet, but she's obviously not there." She paused, "I wonder where she could be..." she stated, sounding look a children's television presenter, before peering over the kitchen counters. "Found you!" She declared, tapping her girlfriend's head and Ari jumped to her feet.

"Happy birthday!" She declared, watching as Sam grinned at her and proceeded to climb over the counter to reach Ari, much to Aldo's mock disapproval, before kissing her girlfriend and then hugging her.

"You are only getting away with this because it's your birthday," he reminded her, he turned to Ari, "have you eaten yet? We were just about to have cake."

"Before 8 in the morning!" Arietta exclaimed,

"age is just a number, and so is time," he replied,

"yes, please. I haven't eaten yet."

"Leaving the house without eating," Sam gasped in mock horror,

"only because I knew I would get fed here," she reminded her girlfriend.

"It's the only reason she puts up with you," Lynne joked, "free food."

"Damn!" Ari exclaimed, "busted."

Sam just laughed, shaking her head slightly. "So have you opened your presents yet?" Ari questioned, and Sam's face lit up.

"Yes! Grandma and Nonno bought my an iphone 5!" She exploded, and Ari's jaw dropped.

"Wow," she exclaimed, "I am so jealous, especially since I am stuck on my crappy phone that doesn't even if have a front facing camera!" She paused, "you do realise that I am just going to steal your phone to take selfies."

"Oh dear," Sam said laughing,

"selfies?" Lynne asked,

"pictures of yourself," her granddaughter explained, "something that people like Ari enjoying taking, and by people like Ari, I mean vain people."

"To be honest, if everyone in the world looked like me, then everyone would be incredibly vain," Arietta replied, preening slightly while Sam just rolled her eyes.

"I also got some DVDs,"

"and a bow tie," Aldo added, "so she can stop stealing mine."

"Also the tickets," Lynne reminded her.

"Oh yeah, I have got some tickets for the basketball in Manchester, and..." Sam clapped her hands together in excitement, "four tickets to go and see Les Miserables in the London West End."

"You'll love Les Mis," Ari told her, "it's really good."

Sam waited expectantly,

"what?" Ari questioned,

"four," Sam reminded her.

"What? There's only three of you,"

"yes," Sam told her patiently, "and while you have a big personality Ari, you are still only one person."

"One plus three equals four," Ari muttered, before it occurred to her what Sam was saying. "Are you inviting me?!"

"Of course," Sam replied,

"thank you. Thank you. Thank you," Ari cried, jumping up and down.

"So, the basketball," Lynne started, winking at Arietta, behind Sam's back, "we have _three_ tickets. Which I guess will be you two plus Robbie."

"Yeah," Sam admitted, sounding a little put out. She liked Robbie but... but she preferred spending time with just her and Ari.

"Anyway, you have got to open my presents," Ari told her,

"presents?" Sam questioned, "not just one?"

Arietta bit her lip, "I may have gone _slightly _overboard," she admitted, gesturing towards the three gift bags she had needed to carry everything.

"_Slightly_!" Sam exclaimed, "Ari, I don't deserve this."

"Yes, you do. You were a great best friend, and an even better girlfriend, so shut up and open up your presents," she commanded.

"Ok," Sam replied, sighing slightly, before looking back up at her girlfriend and smiling, "thank you."

"You're welcome," Ari replied, kissing her quickly, before grabbing two of the bags while Sam took the other one.

Xxx

The four of them settled in the living room, Aldo and Lynne sat on the sofa while Sam and Ari sat on the floor.

"This bag first," Ari commanded, pushing it in Sam's direction.

Sam wasted no time, reaching into the bag to get her first present. She unwrapped it, and laughed.

"I hope you realise that you won't be getting one next year, cos it will be too expensive," Ari replied, while Sam held the Freddo.

She then reached into the bag, and grabbed the next item.

"I reckon this is a pen," she guessed, and opened it, "I got it righ... wait," she looked to Ari, "this is my pen that you borrowed last week!"

Ari just laughed, "yep, happy birthday babe."

"Well, at least you got her some small presents," Aldo stated, "I thought for a moment you were going to have bought 15 big presents."

"Yeah, I couldn't afford 15 iphones," Ari replied.

"15?" Sam questioned,

"because it's your 15th birthday," Lynne pointed out.

"I know," Sam replied, grabbing the next present, "what is this?" she wondered, as she opened it. "Oh, a guitar pick," she examined it for a moment, "seriously Ari? Pick Jesus?"

"Samantha Carter, you are in dire need of Jesus, to cure your homosexual tendencies," Ari told her, in a fake Texan drawl.

"Like you can talk," Sam reminded her,  
"that was before I found Jesus," Ari replied, still using the accent, "now can I have an hallelujah?"

"No."

Xxx

As Sam started to reach the more personal presents, Ari found herself becoming more nervous; she had laughed at the bee, the bracelet, the Frozen poster, the postbox pencil sharpener and the sweets but was it the wrong time to bring up the sensitive subject of her sister?

Sam opened up the necklace, a silver chain carrying a purple circle which read _shine_. Sam was silent, and Ari started to panic; she had misjudged it completely.

Sam sat nothing, but nodded at Ari and put on the necklace, tucking it underneath her school shirt; a silent reminder.

Her grandparents said nothing, unable to see the necklace from their seat of the sofa, but appreciating the quiet moments of remembrance.

"Thank you," Sam said, before reaching into the second back and pulling out one of the CDs. She unwrapped it, and studied for a couple of seconds. "Emma Stevens? I've never heard of her."

"She's a great singer," Ari replied, "she released a promotional single with itunes last year, and it was so good I bought the album, I keep meaning to play it to you."

"Riptide, A Place Called You, Teach Me To Breathe Underwater," Sam paused, voice catching slightly, "Sunflower."

"That's why I wanted to you to listen to it, the song _Sunflower, _I thought you would be able to identify with it," Ari told her, Sam nodded silently.

Aldo left the room, and returned a couple of seconds later with Sam's birthday cake served up, and handed a plate to his wife, Granddaughter and then Ari.

They ate a couple of bites in silence before Sam reached for the next CD. She opened it, and laughed, clearing the sunken atmosphere of the room.

"Sk8er boi on CD!" She exclaimed, "only my favourite song when I was about 8; we had all the Avril Lavigne albums and Shine would always play it really loud when Dad and Kahri were out," she reminisced happily, "we used to pretend that we were Avril, and that we were on tour, in front of thousands of people. It was fun."

She paused for a second, "it was safe to say that both Shine and I had an Avril Lavigne phase after we left Dad's. Shine's happened almost immediately and she would do heavy eye make up and wear crazy clothes. Mine was when I was 12 or 13, and I pretty much based my style entirely off the sk8er boi music video."

"I have never heard of the singer," Lynne admitted, "is she very popular?"

"She used to be a couple of years ago," Sam replied, "less so now."

"So, third CD next or DVD?" The blonde questioned,

"DVD," Ari commanded.

"Juno?" Sam asked, "I've never hear... Ellen Page."

"Yep, Ellen Page is in it," Ari replied.

"Who is she?" Aldo asked, and Sam showed him the picture of her on the front cover.

"Lesbian actress," Ari replied, "that's all I know. I have only heard about her because she came out last month."

"Guessing you want to watch this with me?" Sam guessed,

"of course," Ari replied nodding, "ooh, talking of lesbians."

"Yes," the blonde replied, slightly reproachfully.

"Next month, new American teen drama on MTV called Faking It. About two girls who pretend to be lesbians for popularity, but one of them starts to realise that she might be gay," Ari told her hurriedly.

"Kids these days," Lynne said,

"we are watching that," Sam stated, and Ari grinned.

"Ok last CD," Sam opened it, and looked with confusion about the unmarked CD case, she opened the case and read the pen scrawl on the disk; Sam's lullaby.

"I hope it's ok," Ari told her, "I think the recording is a decent quality, I could rerecord it if you want..." and Sam shushed her by pulling her into a hug.

"I'm offended," Lynne said laughing, "we didn't get this kind of a response from our presents."

"I love your presents too," Sam said quickly, "they are all very thoughtful."

"I believe you have one more present from Ari," Aldo told her, "which I believe we also helped with."

"You did," Ari reassured him.

Sam picked up the rather large photo frame from it's own gift bag. "What is it?" Sam questioned,

"open it," Aldo urged her, she did and gasped.

"Let me see," Lynne commanded, and Sam showed her, "oh, I like that," she said, "I like that," she repeated, voice cracking and she pulled Sam into a hug, sobbing softly.

Ari stood up quietly, leaving them for a family moment, and going to the kitchen. She went straight over to the fridge and got herself a glass of orange juice, she sat on the kitchen worktop sipping it and looked up when Sam entered the room.

"Thank you," she said, "it may have been excessive, but it was _so so so _thoughtful and... thank you."

"I thought you would want some space; _family _time," Ari replied,

"you are my family too," Sam told her, "and always will be and I hope that if we ever broke up that we would be able to remain friends."

"Well I have already lost Symphony and Mia, I don't want to lose you too," she reminded her, "I mean bff does mean forever and we were friends before we were together. So I would like to think our friendship could survive, even if our relationship didn't."

"Me too," Sam agreed.

They sat in silence for a moment before Ari hopped off her perch and kissed her girlfriend, one hand on Sam's jaw and the other in her hair. The kiss was slow, but passionate. Neither girl wanted – or was willing – to pull away from the other.

They only broke apart when they heard the click of an iphone camera. In the doorway Aldo was standing with Sam's phone looking quite pleased with himself.

"Nonno!" Sam exclaimed playfully, plucking the phone off him and examining the photo.

"I think that picture is definitely tumblr worthy," Ari commented.

"Your grandmother has sent me through to tell you two, that you ought to think about getting ready for school, since we will have to leave in about ten minutes," Aldo announced,

"ok," Sam replied, "Ari, can you help me take my stuff up to my room?"

Xxx

"Did Sam like her presents?" Robbie asked, as soon as Ari walked into class.

"She loved them," Ari told him beaming from ear to ear.

"So what presents had her grandparents got her?" Erin questioned curious, Rick standing by her side.

"An iphone," she told them, and the three of them made various faces of jealousy. "Tickets to see Les Miserables in London,"

"I am so jealous, I want to see Les Mis," Erin stated, "firstly cos it looks good, and secondly Carrie is in it, and I absolutely love Carrie."

"I don't watch her videos," Ari admitted, "used to, but I now mainly watch other youtubers, like Arielle, and Bria and Chrissy, Jaclyn Glenn, Hannah Hart, Ari Fitz, The Gay Woman Channel, and..." Ari trailed off, "none of you watch them."

Rick, Erin and Robbie just shook their heads.

"You are just missing out from all the potential lesbian greatness the internet has to offer, that isn't porn," Ari told them, shaking her heads, mourning their loss while the other three just exchanged a look.

"You poor, poor heteros, I feel so sorry for you."

Xxx

"Happy birthday," Robbie greeted, as Sam approached their table in the canteen, Ari still hadn't appeared to be the usual bridge in relations.

"Thanks," Sam replied, sitting down.

"So, did you like Ari's presents?" Robbie asked, trying to sustain the conversation.

"Yes," she told him grinning, "it was so thoughtful,"

"yeah, she's been working on it for ages."

They fell into an awkward silence, Robbie looking out of the window, praying for Ari's arrival.

"Robbie," Sam started, and he looked at her, "you like basketball, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, I got three tickets to see it in Manchester, and I was wondering if you would like to come? My grandparents would pay for train tickets," Sam explained.

"So it would be me, you and... Ari?" He asked, and Sam nodded. "Does Ari even like basketball?"

"Probably not," Sam admitted, "but hopefully we will be able to make her appreciate it."

"Well all we can do is try," Robbie replied, "so... when is it?"

"Some point in July," Sam told him, "and Grandma has already checked with Mike that both of you are free."

"Ok, I'm in," he said, just as Ari slid into the seat next to Sam.

"So how is my favourite birthday girl?" She questioned, quickly kissing Sam's cheek.

"Good, I was just telling Robbie about the basketball," Sam explained, and Ari smirked.

"What's so funny?" Robbie questioned,

"nothing," Ari replied.

"Ari," Sam started.

"It's nothing," she said laughing, "honestly. Nothing."

"Sam, why do we put up with this strange, strange girl?" Robbie asked,

"no idea," Sam said,

"because I am a lovely, generous, fabulous person who is incredibly thoughtful,"  
"and vain," the blonde added.

"And vain," Ari agreed, "and wonderful, and caring."

"With an ego bigger than the Eiffel Tower,"

"yep, that too," Arietta told them.

"I don't think that's a compliment," Robbie told her honestly,

"well, I do," she replied.

Xxx

"Happy birthday Sam," Mike greeted, as she walked up to Dumping Ground minivan at the end of the day.

"Happy St Patrick's Day," Jem added, "and happy day-on-which-you-were-birthed."

"We made you a card," Tee told her, handing it over while Johnny held her present.

"Yeah, this is the present from all of us, apart from Ari and Robbie because they got you an individual present," Johnny explained.

"Thank you," Sam replied, hugging Johnny, before moving onto Tee, then Tyler.

Meanwhile Ari got onto the minibus to collect her overnight bag, because she was going to stay at Sam's for a sleepover, while Robbie went onto the bus to collect Sam's present, which he had forgotten to take to school with him, so consequently had to text Mike at lunch, to ask him to bring it for the end of the day.

"A ticket for Go Ape!" Sam exclaimed, grinning, "thanks, I have always wanted to go."

"Go Ape?" Ari questioned,

"it's an adventure-activity chain venue where groups explore the forest canopy via a treetop rope course," Jemima explained.

"So just obstacles off the ground," Ari interpreted,

"more or less," Sam replied.

"So the nearest place is Matfen Hall Hotel in Matfen," Jemima told the older girl, "so about half an hour away, at most, depending on traffic."

"Thanks Jem," the blonde girl said, "thank you everyone."

"Now, my present," Robbie said, handing it to her.

"I think it might be a book," Sam guessed, before she pulled the wrapping paper. Ari peered over her shoulder, "it's _the _book," Sam exclaimed, hugging Robbie excitedly, catching him a little off guard.

"What is the book about?" Ari questioned,

"it's a book on cosmology," Sam explained.

"Isn't that like make up and stuff?"

"No, cosmology is the science of the origin and the development of the universe," Jemima told her.

"Yes, it's really interesting; undoubtedly my favourite part of science," Sam raved.

"Really?" Jem asked, "I thought it was always one of the least relevant parts of science, bordering on pointless honestly."

"Well I think it's interesting," Sam said defensively, voice cold, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"I think it's pretty," Ari announced, breaking into the conversation, "you know, all those awesome pictures they took in space."

"Yeah, I like them too," Erin agreed hurriedly,

"well, thank you again Robbie," Sam repeated, not looking at Jem, "ready?" She asked Ari, who nodded, "ok, see you tomorrow."

Clutching her space book Sam headed off in a different direction, and Ari followed her.

Xxx

"How was school?" Lynne asked as the two girls traipsed through the door,

"it was alright," Sam told her, "and everyone at the Dumping Ground combined together to get me tickets to go to Go Ape."

"Oh, that's nice of them," she replied, "so I was wondering, what do you two want to do tonight? Do you want to watch a DVD?"

"Well we have got homework that we need to do..." Sam started,

"but it's your birthday," Ari complained,

"but it's due in tomorrow," the blonde reminded her, and Ari sighed dramatically.

"Well could you do all your homework before dinner, and then watch a DVD, or do something afterwards?" Lynne suggested.

"Come on Ari, the sooner it's done, the sooner we can do something fun," Sam chided, as if Ari was 5 not 15.

"But it's soooo boring,"

"but we have to do it, or we'll get a detention. Now come on."

And with that Sam grabbed her girlfriend's hand, and two cookies from the plate that her Grandma had laid out, and pulled her girlfriend upstairs.

Xxx

"I don't get maths," Ari moaned, staring at her textbook and the long list of questions.

"Do you want some help?" Sam asked, looking up from her harder, and longer selection of maths questions.

"Yes please," Ari replied,

"but only if you help me with the music," Sam stated.

"Deal," the Chinese girl extended her hand, and the two shook on it.

"So what you have to do here is quite simple," Sam started, beginning to explain.

Halfway through Sam's second explanation she noticed that Ari wasn't watching what she was pointing at on the page, but instead looking at her.

"Ari, the maths is on the page. Not on my face," Sam told her,

"but your face is far more interesting," Ari replied,

"but my face won't help you pass your exams," the blonde pointed out.

Ari sighed, "I was listening but..." she paused, and Sam waited patiently. "It is so easy to get distracted. I mean what is the point in maths? Yeah, I know, to get good grades, so you can get a good job, and live in a good house and have good children, and have a good life before dying, and having your name engraved in a good grave stone." She wrung her hands together, "it is so hard concentrating, and even if I try, even if I _really _try, I still struggle. Even for activities I love like playing the violin I got distracted so easily, and I can't play as well as I used to. Everything is a hundred times harder than it used to be, when I was little I was so so so patient, now even sitting still is a problem."

Sam said nothing, just thinking of Ari's hurried talking style, her inability to sit still in class and how most of the times when she looked over at Ari in class she noticed her doodling or writing music.

How she never stopped doing activities, how she hopped from task to task, never really completing any of them; getting bored of books and films before she reached the end.

"Am I crazy?" Ari asked, and Sam shook her head.

"It's not your fault," she replied, "and you can't help it, and I honestly think you should talk to your therapist about it, or Mike, or May Li, or Jemima, they would know if there was something that could help."

Arietta nodded silently, "would you like me to go downstairs, and leave you to finish your homework?" She asked,

"if you don't mind," Sam replied, and Ari made her way out of the room.

Xxx

When Sam came downstairs having finished her maths, she wanted to see if Ari was willing to help her with the music homework like she had promised.

She would Arietta talking animatedly with her Nonno, and as she stood in the doorway watching them talk she noticed Ari jumping from topic to topic, and sometimes even interrupting him, not that Aldo seemed to mind.

"Ari," Sam said,

"oh, hi Sam," Ari replied, grinning.

"I have finished my maths, do you want to do the music?" The blonde girl questioned, and her girlfriend nodded keenly.

"Ok," Ari said, bounding up to her and kissing her, causing Sam to crash slightly into the door frame.

"Oh," Sam complained slightly into the kiss,

"sorry," Ari apologised, pulling away, before grinning. "Ok, let's get this music homework done."

Xxx

Ari sped through the homework, and while her explanations to Sam were good they were incredibly rushed, and Sam had to keep stopping her so she could reiterate what Ari had just said, to check she had understood what she had been saying.

"Done! Finally!" Ari exclaimed, flopping back onto Sam's bed. "Thank god,"

"so what do you want to do until tea?" Sam questioned, smirking at her girlfriend,

"I don't mind," Ari told her, "it's _your _birthday, after all."

Sam grinned and walked over to the pile of presents on her floor, and picked up one of the CDs and put it into her CD player, and hit play. Immediately sk8er boi by Avril Lavigne was being blasted at full volume, Ari threw her head back as she laughed and Sam grabbed her hand, pulling her to dance.

Though their version of dancing was pretty much jumping up and down on the spot, and Ari ambitiously head bashing and whipping Sam in the face with her hair.

"You know," Sam started,

"no," Ari replied immediately, and her girlfriend sent her a stern look which caused the older girl to dissolve into giggles.

"When I first came to the Dumping Ground I sort of... hoped. Yeah, I thought that everything would play out like the opposite as the song. So the girl would be with the sk8er boi, but then they would break up and..."

"You thought of Rick as the sk8er boi!" Ari laughed, "and wanted his girlfriend to end up with you, and you would be her knight in shining armour so in five years time she wouldn't be sat alone, feeding the baby; all alone."

"Yeah," Sam agreed, "and Rick would be the one turning on the television to see Erin rocking up MTV."

They laughed continuing to "dance" to the song, which had reached the guitar solo.

"I mean Erin is a good enough singer to be on MTV," Sam commented,

"is there even music on MTV these days?" Ari questioned, and Sam shrugged.

"I don't know, I've never watched MTV," she admitted.

"So how do you know Erin's a good enough singer for MTV then?" Ari challenged,

"well I've heard Erin sing, so I reckon that makes me qualified enough to make that statement."

"You're a good singer too," Ari commented,

"not as good as Erin," Sam pointed out.

"Better," Ari argued,

"you're biased," the blonde girl replied,

"no I am blunt and honest,"

"and biased."

"No I am not," Arietta replied,

"you so are," Sam said, and Ari started to walk towards the door. "Running away because you can't accept that you are wrong?" She questioned, and Ari shook her head.

"No, I'm going to the toilet."

Xxx

As Ari approached Sam's bedroom she heard the soft guitars creeping under the door, and knew that Sam had begun to listen her birthday presents.

Sam looked up as the door opened from her resting position against her bed, not bothering to wipe away her tears.

"How did you know?" She asked, referring to the song _Sunflower _which Ari had recommended, and was currently playing.

"I know you," Ari replied, sitting down next to her and taking her hand.

There was silence apart from the song playing in the background, Ari reached for the remote and pressed the number 2. Immediately a more upbeat song began to play and Ari jumped up pulling her girlfriend to her feet, before wiping her tears and grabbed her hands, making her dance along.

"What's this song called?" Sam asked as spun Ari round,

"Place called you," Ari replied, before staggering a little bit, "I'm dizzy now."

"Sorry," Sam apologised, though she couldn't help but laugh.

"S'not funny," Ari moaned, pouting like a child, "the world's all spinny."

"Awwh Ari," Sam cooed, "do you want me to kiss you better?"

Ari said nothing, just sucked her lips in until they had disappeared.

"No one told me my girlfriend was secretly a toddler," Sam commented, and Ari just glared, but the corners of her mouth were twitching and soon she was laughing, and Sam couldn't help but join in.

Xxx

"This tastes sooooo good," Ari announced, looking up from her pizza.

"It's the secret recipe," Aldo explained,

"We've been married 45 years, this year," Lynne told them, "and he still hasn't told me."

"It has been in my family for many generations," he replied.

"So will I get to know?" Sam questioned,

"I will tell you on our 50th wedding anniversary," Aldo promised.

"Why?" Ari joked, "because you need to make sure your relationship with Lynne is serious before you reveal the secret of the pizza?"

"That's it!" Lynne explained, laughing, "we are still dating, and you are still taking me on walks round lakes, and trying to impress me, and you can still fit your hands round my waist."

"If you have been married for 45 years, how old were you when you got married?" Sam asked,

"I was 18, and Aldo was nearly 20," Lynne told them,

"but I thought you only moved to Italy when you were 18," Sam began, and Lynne nodded.

"I was, went to Italy for a holiday the day after my 18th birthday," Lynne started, smiling happily. "I went with a couple of my friends, thinking we were being incredibly modern and grown up. Within half an hour of being in Italy I had gotten separated from my friends, and I was panicking and sitting on a wall crying; terrified because I didn't know where I was because all the signs were in Italian, and I had no way of communicating with anyone, because I knew no Italian."

"So I was walking through town and I saw the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my entire life," Aldo continued for her, "I knew she was not local from her beautiful golden hair, and I knew from that moment that I would follow that girl anywhere. So I walked after her and asked _why is the beautiful girl crying?" _

"And I remember being so relieved that someone spoke English, so I explained to him that I was lost, and I didn't know how to get back to my hotel. But he knew where the hotel was and he walked me all the way back to it, and I invited him into my room. There I made a pot of tea, from the tea I had brought from home, and we began to talk, and then my friends returned and Aldo asked if he could call on me the next day, so I said yes."

"Then I kissed you on the cheek, and you went so red. Like a tomato," Aldo added.

"Romantic," Sam commented, slightly sarcastic,

"it was," Lynne replied, cutting through the sarcasm.

"So for the rest of the holiday we spent our time together, and my friends didn't get much of a look in," Lynne admitted, "but then the holiday was ending, and soon our trip to Italy would be over.

"And I realised that if Lynne got on the plane back to England that I would never see her again,"

"so at our last dinner he proposed to me," Lynne told the two girls, "and I said yes. So my friends went home, and I sent them with letters to explain everything to my parents. And a couple of days later, the 7th July 1969, the same day as the moon landing, we got married in a small ceremony and we've been married ever since."

"How did your parents react to you marrying a man you had only just met?" Sam asked,

"so many questions," Aldo replied laughing.

"They weren't happy about it at first, but then they came over and tried Aldo's cooking and fell in love with him," Lynne told them.

"I can see why they fell in love with him," Ari stated, "this pizza is great, this has officially put Dumping Ground pizza night to shame."

"Well home made food is always better than takeaway," Sam pointed out,

"except if it's Chinese food, because if you tried to serve the stuff we used to eat as kids at a restaurant, you would be closed down immediately," Ari replied.

"Ok, there are exceptions, but for Italian it is definitely true."

Xxx

"Best birthday ever," Sam told Ari as they lay in bed that night,

"really?" Ari exclaimed,

"of course," the blonde replied, "I mean there is no possible way that it could have been better. I was happy, really happy, and even when I wasn't happy, I was happy."

"What are you talking about?" Ari asked, and Sam turned around to face her.

"Sad, it's happy for deep people," Sam told her, and before Ari could interrupt her she continued, "yes I have lost things, important things, important people. But the people I was miss, are people I was privileged to have in my life in the first place, so when you think about it like that, it makes me feel happier."

"That's a better way to look at it," Ari admitted, "a healthier way; I just pretend to be happy, and sometimes... most of the time, I am able to trick myself into believing my own lies; my own fantasies."

"Everyone handles loss differently," Sam told her, cupping Ari's face.

"It's not just loss, it's forgetting about the other stuff; rewriting the past within my own head so I can disassociate myself from the situations that I was in, detaching myself from what actually happened, so I can move on, and get on with my life, like a normal person."  
"What even is normal?" Sam questioned,

"Samantha Carter, stop being so deep," Ari commanded.

"Only when you stop being vain, fabulous _and _beautiful," she replied.

"Sweetie, that's never going to happen," the Chinese reminded her girlfriend,

"precisely."

Ari laughed, "that will only happen when I die, preferably when I'm about 93."

"93?" Sam questioned,

"what? I reckon that's a good long life," Ari replied.

"So what will you be like when you're elderly?" Sam asked,

"I will be an off-the-wall crazy cat woman, bouncing off the ceiling and I will have all the nursing home staff will be tutting at me, and going _"Arietta, you need to sit down. Or you will end up having to have another hip replacement_.""

"What will I be like?" Sam questioned,

"patience, I was getting to that. So, I'll be bouncing off the ceiling and I will be the life and soul of the nursing home, and you will be sat in the chair next to mine; shaking your head in that amused way that you do, smirking slightly, and you'll be all like:_ "excuse Ari, she's always been a crazy-ass fabulous vain bitch.""_

"Shaking my head in an amused way!" Sam exclaimed, "do I really do that?"

"All the time," Ari told her, "now stop interrupting; that's my job. So you will also have Jemima there trying to solve the crimes of the nursing home, like: _who stole Erin's fake teeth_."

"Easy," Sam replied, "Tyler."

"Well... duh," Ari stated. "Then Faith will be there, being all positive like: "_think positively guys, when we all die, our children will inherit all our money, and they'll be able to live a more financially secure life._" And Johnny and Bailey will still be arguing, and Jack and Bailey will always be getting told off for playing football inside with their zimmer frames."

"Yeah, and we'll all throw parties for all and every occasion, no matter how small," Sam added,

"and Jody will be getting in trouble for hoarding the biscuits," Ari continued, "and Jeff will be grey, and surrounded by a whole family of giraffes. I would imagine Rick and Erin would have a number of children, and grandchildren, and great grandchildren, because they would probably still be together."

"And we will either be best friends," Sam told her girlfriend, "or will we be married _and _best friends."

"Yeah, we'll be best friends no matter what. Though I do reckon any future girlfriends may be a little scared that we're best friends with our ex, and if they don't like it they can fuck off, and we can carry on partying."

"You'll be partying Ari, I will be reading, or knitting, or doing something old and mundane," Sam replied, "something very boring."

"That's why you need me, to keep you young and crazy,"

"I think old and crazy is far more likely," Sam pointed out.

"Oi, birthday girl!" Lynne hissed, "I know it's your birthday, but you still have school tomorrow, so the two of you, shut up and sleep."

"Yes ma'am," Ari and Sam said in perfect synchronisation, and they swore they could hear Lynne sigh.

"I'm serious," Lynne repeated,

"I know, goodnight," Sam called, "love you grandma," and with that she snuggled into Ari's arms, and Ari cuddled up to her girlfriend, and as Ari began to doze off to sleep; sleepy from her medication and the extortionate amount of food, she swore she heard Sam mumble, "love you Ari."

And she swore she mumbled back, "I love you too."

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)**

**The song _Sunflower _by _Emma Stevens _which is mentioned in the chapter, is the song that inspired a proportion of Sam's life. So feel free to check it out because Emma Stevens is a wonderful singer, and deserves more recognition.**

**This is the longest chapter I have ever written: 8386 words**

**Please review xxx**


	58. Sticks and Stones

**Chapter 58**

**Thank you Candy-apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Ok, I am not trans or into football so I apologise in any technical errors that I have made when writing this chapter.**

"Ready?" Jack asked Bailey who nodded, "nervous?"

"Nah," Bailey replied after a couple of seconds.

"Right," the older boy said, checking the clock, "we should get going."

"Where are you going?" Jem questioned, arms crossed.

"I am going to Bailey's football practice, you know where Viv Anderson is coming to watch," Jack explained slowly.

"I know what Bailey is doing," Jemima replied, "but you scheduled me to help you with maths."

"Oh," Jack said, "maths, can I resch..."

"no," Jem cut him off, there was silence for a few moments. "Ok, let me get my coat. I'll bring the maths so we can do it while Bailey kicks a ball around."

"Thanks Welshie," Jack grinned.

"You owe me," Jemima replied.

At this May Li exited the office, "I was wondering... oh, Jemima are you going too?"  
"Yep,"

"ok, well," she handed her the notebook, "can you get Viv's autograph, he is such a legend."

"What if we can't get it?" Jack questioned,

"then your life won't be worth living," May Li replied sweetly.

"Come on. Can't we leave already?" Bailey moaned.

"Ok," Jemima pocketed the notebook, "let's get going."

Xxx

Ari's phone buzzed for about the 40th time that morning.

She opened the message:

_I didn't hesitate._

Without waiting she immediately texted back:

_I couldn't wait._

"Who are you texting?" Faith questioned, and she could feel the interest of the whole room, before she could reply, her phone buzzed again and she opened the message.

"All the other guys just evaporated," Erin read out, peering over Ari's shoulder, "...what the hell?!"

"It's from a song," Ari explained, and everyone looked at her blankly. "Sam and I text each other song lyrics. Like, she'll send me the first line of a song, and I will reply with the second, and she'll do the third, and so on, and so forth."

"That sounds like a waste of texts," Johnny commented,

"I get 5000 texts a month; that's plenty, even if I am texting Sam full albums," Ari replied.

"That sounds like a complete waste of time," Tyler told her,

"yeah... well it's not like I can just go next door to see her any more," she stated.

"It would be so much harder if you didn't live here," Erin suddenly announced, looking to Rick, "you would miss so much."

"And it would mean I wouldn't be able to see your beautiful face everyday," Rick added, going over to kiss her. "Or the baby," he added, placing his hand on the ever increasing sized bump.

Ari diverted her eyes, it was her new coping method: not looking at the baby bump and tuning out of the conversation the second the dreaded baby was mentioned.

Everything that had been made better by the news that the baby was a boy, was almost immediately lost by Erin's outwards growth spurt.

"Tyler," Tyler commented, "you should call him Tyler, or Lewis, or Tyler Lewis, or Lewis Tyler."

"What, Tyler Lewis Barber-Walker?" Erin asked laughing, and Ari stood up, before leaving the room.

"Yeah, name him after me," Tyler almost begged.

"Or I could name him Tyler, like Tyler Oakley," Erin stated, "or maybe Troy. Or Dan or Phil."

"Or Dan and Phil," Tee commented laughing, "Daniel Philip Barber-Walker."

"Or I could go all out and call him Phan," Erin stated.

"I have absolutely no idea who any of these people are," Rick announced, and Erin laughed.

"Or instead of Phan, you could call him Dil," Jody commented.

"Dil?" Erin asked, "are you serious? That's a terrible name." She paused, "well if we are looking at the path of naming him after a youtuber we could call him: Charlie, or Luke, or Joe, or Alfie, or Bai, or Marcus..."

"Or Pewdiepie!" Tyler exclaimed,

"maybe not," Erin replied laughing.

"Why not?" Rick joined in, "Pewdiepie Dil Barber-Walker is a great name."

"No. Just no."

Xxx

"Don't forget to pass to people, football is a team game after all," Jack lectured Bailey as he was leaving the changing room, "but just remember to do your..."

"yeah, I get it Jack," Bailey announced, sprinting off onto the pitch with the rest of the team.

Jack sighed before going to sit on sidelines with Jem, who began to explain trigonometry. Less than a minute later he looked up to see Bailey was already ignoring what Viv was saying, clearly bored by the talking and wanting to play.

"I don't think he has the right attitude," Jack commented,

"I think you are right," Jem replied.

"It's just so... bloody irritating," he snapped, "I would give anything for a chance like this, and Bailey has it and he isn't even trying to promote a good self image."

"I wish there was something I could do," Jem told him, "but at this point of time, even I can't end the world's bigotry, so there isn't much I can currently do."

They sat in silence and for a couple of moments, watching the kids being divided into teams, Viv was just standing by the side.

"Shall we try and get his autograph now?" Jack wondered,

"I guess now is as good a time as any," Jem replied, jumping to her feet and the two teens made their way over to the footballing legend.

"Um... Mr Anderson," Jemima started, "I was wondering if we could have your..."

"are you here with Bailey?" He questioned,

"yeah, we are his friends," Jack told him.

"You are," Jem reminded him, "I tolerate him, as long as he respects my boundaries."

"Well, he needs to learn some manners, and discipline," Viv snapped, walking past them.

"Well that was a success," Jack commented sarcastically, as they made their way back over to the seats, he slumped down and continued to watch the football. As the game continued Jack's frustration grew and grew, "god, why can't he just pass?" he questioned, despairingly, "football is a team game, not a solo sport."

Jemima didn't reply, just continued watching. The other guys worked together, and when a goal was scored they celebrated together while Bailey was left to the side.

After some time the coach stepped in, began to talk to Bailey, before walking away leaving Bailey in a daze.

"What happened there?" Jemima questioned,

"maybe the coach brought Bailey down a peg or two," Jack suggested, they watched in silence as Viv approached the younger boy, but Bailey seemed unresponsive to him and joined his team mates.

Then suddenly before Jem and Jack could comprehend what was going on, Bailey pushed one of the other guys and his coach shouted for him to get off, and Bailey barged past him, and the coach went to the side so that he could call Mike.

"What the fuck just happened?" Jack asked, jumping up and sprinting over to Bailey, and Jem followed in close pursuit. "Bailey, what is going on?" He asked, placing his hands on the younger boy's shoulders, and looking him in his eyes.

"What does it matter to you?" Bailey snapped,

"well, this is a really big opportunity and it doesn't seem like you to mess it up," Jack replied.

"Well I am not the type to succeed in football anyway," he told them, pulling away from Jack.

"What is that even meant to mean?" Jack questioned.

"Why do you even care?" Bailey asked, before he gave Jack a chance to continue, "is it cos you ain't good enough to good into a team? You're trying to live your dreams through me! Well, that must be it cos you are the type to succeed in football, so the only reason you are not making it, is cos you're a shit football player."

"Bailey, what did your coach say to you?" Jemima asked, but it was in vain because before he could reply, Jack cut in, turning on Bailey, trying to put him in his place.

"I'm a shit football player?!" He snapped, "no. The only reason I can't do football _I _am not the type to succeed in football. You are! And I am not going to stand by and watch you fuck up your dream because you have some how got it into your head that you aren't the _type _for football. The only way you are not the _type _is because you play football like it's a solo sport, not a team game!"

"How are you not the type!?" Bailey exclaimed,

"my gender..." Jack started,

"Oh whatever, stop making excuses. I don't care, you are just shit footballer," Bailey replied, and Jack said nothing just stormed past him, out of the park.

"What did your coach say to you?" Jemima questioned, and Bailey remained silent.

"What happened Bailey?" Mike asked rushing down to him and Jem,

"he assaulted one of his team mates," the coach announced, approaching them.

"Bailey. I am so disappointed in you," Mike told him,

"whatever," Bailey snapped, "I don't care."

There was silence for a few moments.

"Where's Jack?" Mike asked finally,

"I'll go and find him," Jemima told him firmly,

"try and be home for lunch," Mike replied, and Jem nodded, before heading in the opposite direction. Hoping to find Jack.

Xxx

"Why am I spending my Saturday having to clean the bathroom?" Johnny moaned, as he looked at the mess that he and Robbie had been delegated to clean.

"Because this is what is on the rota," Robbie replied, looking less than impressed at what he had to clean up.

"This is my life," Johnny commented, some what bitterly, "cleaning the bathroom, while Bailey pursues his footballing career."

"If I didn't know better I would think that you were jealous," Robbie stated.

Johnny was silent for a moment, "maybe I am. I mean he knows what he wants to do with his life, he's got direction and I have absolutely no idea about what I want to do."

"I don't know either," Robbie told him. "I just can't imagine myself doing a normal job, or any job, I wish I knew. Especially when everyone expects you to know what you want to do. I bet Erin will give birth, and before the doctors have a chance to check the baby is ok, there will be a career advisor asking him what he wants to do with his life."

"Yeah," Johnny replied laughing, "but it's not like I have any talents, and I'm not exceptional at school,"

"same with me," Robbie said,

"and I have absolutely no idea what job would be suited for me," he finished, and Robbie nodded.

"Yeah, it's alright for people like Jem and Sam, who are really clever, and Erin as well because she's pretty clever. It's also ok for Ari, because while she isn't the best student she is an incredible musician, and no one can take that away from her," Robbie added. "And I am ok at a lot of things, but exceptional at nothing."

They sighed, "this bathroom isn't going to get clean by itself," Johnny said, signalling that the conversation was over.

Xxx

"We can do the maths another time," Jem said, as she approached Jack, he was sitting on a grassy bank, and though he had his back to her, she knew that he was crying. He didn't reply, Jem took a seat next to him, and said nothing.

"I thought I could call Bailey a friend," Jack finally said, hanging his head.

"He struck out," Jemima told him honestly, "he was upset and just wanted to release his anger."

"Why on me? What did I do to deserve it? Why am I always the target for people's attacks?" Jack questioned, frustration pouring into his words, "why can't people leave me alone?" He asked, voice small.

"Because people are stupid, and never select decent targets i.e. people who don't give a shit about what people say, i.e. Ari or I. They just choose who they think are good targets, and fire away," Jem explained, "because they lack the ability of insight into other people's lives, because they are so consumed in self-pity."

"You think Bailey is consumed in self-pity?" Jack asked, intrigued.

"Well, I was talking about a huge group of people," Jem replied, "but yes, Bailey does fall under that category."

"So what's his deal?"

"Well I reckon his coach said something to him, because his coach approached him, and spoke to him. Then he looked a little bit dazed, then he got into the fight," Jem explained, "and when we talked to him, he kept saying he wasn't the type for football and you were..." and she looked at Jack, expecting him to fill him in the blanks.

Jack shook his head, "please explain."

"Bailey doesn't know you are trans," Jem started, "as far as he is concerned, you are a pretty average guy, and a pretty guy but that is beside the point, and I doubt that was on Bailey's mind."

"You think I'm pretty?" Jack questioned,

"everyone thinks you're gorgeous," Jemima replied, "even Ari. _Even _Ari. Ari the Queen of Lesbians."

They were silent for a few seconds.

"Anyway from Bailey's perspective: he's an average guy, you're an average guy. What's the biggest difference?" Jemima asked him, and it suddenly clicked.

"Bailey's black," Jack replied, he paused for a second, thinking, "are you saying that the coach racially insulted Bailey?"

"I'm saying it's a possibility," she told him, "and currently, I would say it's the most likely option."

"Would explain why Bailey acted like he did," Jack admitted,

"plus Bailey was the only non-Caucasian on the team," Jem added.

"Should we say anything?" Jack questioned after a moment,

"we have to check with Bailey, we can't report the coach and find that we have gotten it wrong. We need Bailey's word first," Jem replied.

Xxx

"How did it go?" Faith asked, as Bailey barged into the house, he ignored her and pushed his way upstairs.

"Did you mess it up?" Johnny questioned, "and where's Jem?"

A small crowd had congregated at the top of the stairs, attempting to work out what was going on.

"Jemima and Jack left," Bailey told them,

"why?" Faith asked,

"well Jack flipped, and Jem went after him," Bailey replied, hoping they would stop their questions so he could go to his room, and exist without their prying.

"What caused Jack to flip?" Tee asked.

"We were arguing about what was the type of a good footballer," Bailey explained, "and he said he wasn't a good footballer cos of his gender. Now leave me alone."

He pushed past them, and slammed his door.

"His gender? That makes no sense," Johnny stated,

"yeah, men's football is infinitely more popular than women's football," Faith added.

"Oh," Ari said,

"what?" Robbie questioned,

"oh," she repeated, "oh... wow. I didn't see that coming..."

"See what coming?" Johnny asked,

"it... doesn't matter, I'll..." she paused looking around, "see you later," and with that she dashed down the stairs, and as she sprinted across the hall, Johnny swore he heard her say, "I'm practically Jemima bloody Anderson."

Xxx

Bailey was lying on his bed when Faith knocked on his door,

"go away," he called, and the door opened.

"What did you say?" She asked,

"go away," he repeated,

"thought so," she replied, entering the room and closing it behind her.

"What happened?" Faith asked,

"seriously Faith, go away," Bailey replied, refusing to look at her.

"I'm not going away," she stated, shoving Bailey's legs out of the way so she could sit on his bed, facing him, becoming inescapable. Faith Davis was going to force the truth out of him, and she was also going to make him face it.

"My coach," Bailey started, "he said some stuff: that I was rude, and disrespectful, and not a team player, and... another thing." He trailed away, his eyes sliding to his window, away from Faith, so she wouldn't see that he was crying.

"What else did he say?" Faith asked, he didn't reply, "Bailey. Bailey. Bailey!"

"He called me..." his voice lowered to an almost silent level, less than a whisper, and Faith's eyes widened.

"He said that!" She exclaimed, and Bailey nodded feeling a little lost. "He can't say that," Faith stated, "there are rules. Oh my god..." she was silent for a moment. "Bailey, why did you tell me? Is it because I am also black?"

Bailey shook his head, "it's cos you're a friend, right?" And Faith nodded, he rubbed his eyes furiously, "and can you not tell anyone about me crying."

"I won't," she promised, sighed before pulling herself of his bed, "but I've got to tell Mike."

"Faith, you can't," he begged,

"yes, I can," she replied, "and I will."

She exited his room, and left Bailey no choice but to run after her.

Xxx

Jem's phone vibrated, "it's Ari," she commented.

"Is she sending you song lyrics?" Jack asked laughing,

"no, she's asking where I am," she paused, in slight confusion, "and asking if I know where you are!"

"Why would Ari care? It's not like we're friends," Jack replied, "unless it's because of my obvious good looks, and she is running here to declare her undeniable love for me."

Before Jemima could reply to the text, Jack's partially sarcastic statement, became partially true.

Ari dropped down next to him panting, "um... hi," Jack started awkwardly.

"I'm going to die," she told them, as she struggled for breath, "I've been running round the park looking for you."

"Why?" Jack questioned,

"well, apparently I'm impatient," Ari replied.

"Ari there is no _apparently, _it is scientifically proven that you are impatient," Jem told her.

"Ok, well I had a thought," Arietta started, "from what Bailey said."

"Is he ok?" Jack asked,

"are you trans?" Ari asked, not even bothering to reply. Jack said nothing, just sat there, looking startled like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

"What did he say?" Jack was finally able to say,

"well he was saying, that you were saying that your gender was holding you back from footballing success. So I presumed, since most footballers are male, that must mean that while you identify as male, that there is something saying that you are otherwise, and the only logical reason is you being trans," Ari explained.

"I am impressed," Jemima commented, "no one else has worked it out, apart from me... obviously."

"So you are?" Ari asked, and Jack nodded.

"Do you mind," he paused, looking up at Ari, "not telling anyone, please. I am only going to be here till my birthday, but I don't want to have to deal with everyone being bigots."

"Fair enough, I'll say nothing. Not even to Sam," she told him, "don't worry, I am great with secrets. I mean, I've lived at the dumping ground for..."

"5 months exactly," Jem told her.

"5 months! Really?"

"Do I lie?" Jem questioned, "about meaningless figures?"

"Ok, fair enough. But I have lived at the dumping ground for 5 months and only 4 people know about my past: Sam and Robbie, cos they are my best friends, Faith cos we got trapped in a lift together and Jem, because she's a nosy bitch."

"Welshie being a nosy bitch? That sounds familiar," Jack commented,

"I like information," Jem admitted, not even attempting to defend herself.

"So... what happened with Bailey?" Ari asked,

"he got sent off for attacking one of the other guys," Jemima explained,

"was it provoked?"

"We reckon his coach said something to him," Jack told her, "something racist."

"Seriously, of all the things to comment on... race?!" Ari exclaimed,

"well my coach and team were very happy to comment on my gender when I told them the truth," Jack commented, "sport is incredibly backwards."

"I wonder what they would make of me," Ari wondered, "I am a gay Asian woman with mental health problems, try and make me more diverse."

"You could be a bisexual trans Asian woman with mental health problems, _and_ be in a wheelchair," Jack replied.

"Would you say being bisexual or pansexual would count as more diverse?" Jemima asked.

"Well bisexual is seen, incorrectly, in guys as being afraid to come out as gay, or in girls as a way to make you seem interesting to guys," Arietta commented, "meanwhile being pansexual is either misinterpreted as a kitchenware fetish or you just being incredibly pretentious because," she put on a stupid voice, "all genders, there's only two genders, so doesn't that mean you are bi... ha ha, fuck off back to tumblr." She returned to normal, "so in my opinion I am not sure whether being bi or pan is more diverse, because while bi is more heard of, people as a whole take it less seriously. Which is fucking stupid!"

"For a lesbian," Jack commented, "you are getting very frustrated."

"Well, it's all equality at the end of the day," Ari stated, "and equality is good."

"I suppose Welshie is the least diverse of all of us," Jack said a couple of moments later, "white, cis-gender, straight."

He looked to Jem, "you are straight, right? I mean you are with Johnny..."

"That's a very dangerous assumption to make," she replied, smirking slightly.

"So you're not straight..." he replied, and Ari was watching Jemima very hard.

"For someone who is very big with understanding people and categorising them, I am not a fan of labels for sexual orientation," she told them, and the two of them said nothing, "but if you are demanding a label then I suppose the best fitting one is pansexual."

"So," Ari started, unable to keep the laughter out of her voice, "does that mean you like pans?"

Jem fixed her with a look, "home," she commanded, before jumping up and leading the way.

Xxx

"Bailey, can you confirm that is what he said?" Mike asked, he had been in the office with May Li when Faith had charged in, with Bailey on her heels, and she had then proceeded to explain the morning's events. Bailey had remained silent, retaining the look of shock from earlier.

"I'm not sure..." Bailey admitted, ducking his head, "I might have misheard him."

"Bailey!" Mike exclaimed, "did he say it or not?"

"He did," he finally replied, and Mike stood up.

"I am going to report him," Mike announced,

"you can't Mike," Bailey begged, "it isn't a big deal."

"Bailey, he can't be allowed to get away with this," Faith stated.

"Now he can't," Jack exclaimed, bursting into the office and Jem and Ari fell in behind him.

There was silence as they pulled themselves off the ground.

"Did your coach say something racially offensive?" Jem asked,

"he did," Bailey confirmed,

"ok," she said, her and Ari looking to Jack.

"What? Are you expecting an inspirational speech?" He asked the girls, who nodded.

"Pretty much," Ari admitted.

"Bailey, if you give up, then they have won, I thought _you _wanted to succeed," Jack told him, "if you give up now then that's it, end of the dream. But you can fight on, it is possible for you to fight on. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life wondering what would have happened if you had exercised your basic human rights?"

Bailey said nothing.

"Could you live with the knowledge that you could have made it, but chose not to?" Jack questioned,

"look Jack..." Bailey started.

"No, you look," Jack snapped, "I am so jealous that you are able to complain, that you are able to protect yourself and have rules that protect you. I don't have those rules, and that has put an end to my footballing career before it could even start. You should appreciate those rules, and make the most of them, because people fought so you could be included, and you are doing them a disservice by allowing ya coach to get away with this."

"But Jack... I don't see how you are not protected?" Bailey stated, and Jack paused, looking to the girls at his shoulders: Ari on his left, Jem on his right. Jem smiled reassuringly while Ari squeezed his hand. In only ten days it was his birthday, and he would be moving back in with Max. He had survived years with his Mum, he could survive ten days of care kids.

"The thing is," Jack started, "I'm a guy, but I'm like," he paused, looking up at Bailey meeting the younger boy's eyes, "but I'm biologically female."

"You're trans," Faith said, tone not quite accusing, more... surprised, or perhaps realisation.

"So you're a girl?" Bailey asked, confused.

"No, I'm a guy. But the footballing association still perceives me as female, which means I can't enter into any male teams, and I don't want to join a female team, because I am not a girl. Which means that I can't participate in football," Jack explained, "and by the point which I could be legally accepted, i.e. when I'm like 18, it would be far too late. No one would be looking to take anyone new one, so that means my footballing dream is over before it started, because there are bigots that can't be moved, and my career – my life – has to suffer because of that. But the bigots can be removed for you, they can be pushed out of the way, and then the only thing holding yourself back is yourself."

No one said anything for a couple of seconds, Jemima's hand rested on Jack's shoulder and Ari nodded silently.

"Mike, can you complain?" Bailey asked him, and Mike got up to make the phone call.

"Thank you... for listening," Jack said, before leaving the office and heading into the kitchen.

"That was very brave of Jack," May Li commented,

"yeah, it was," Faith agreed, while Bailey was silent.

"Jack didn't choose to be like... that?" He half asked, half stated, "and I didn't choose to be black. So why is it fair that there are rules to protect me, but not him?"

"Because racism was a significantly bigger, and more wide spread problem than transphobia," Jemima explained, "so more people focused on solving racism, trying to create the racial equality that is still yet to occur. But you have laws protecting you against discrimination, and in this country being transgender means that you are legally protected, but in sport..." she sighed, shaking her head, "sport is one of the most backwards areas there are, apart from Texas."

"People are not educated enough about trans people, and the problems that they face," Ari continued, "and trans youth have the highest homelessness and suicide rates of all teenage groups, especially in developed countries like the UK, and America, and Western Europe." Arietta sighed, "things will get better, they did for gay people. Well... some of us anyway."

"What do you mean?" Bailey asked,

"10 countries in the world you can be executed for being gay," Ari told him, tone serious, eyes dark, "and in over 76 you can be imprisoned, flogged and I am so bloody fortunate I live in England," she snapped, tears beginning to fall, and May Li put her arm around her, pulling her in for a hug, "in China being gay is legal, but there are no laws protecting you, and I accidentally told my parents when I was there last time," and she paused, squeezing her eyes shut, clenching her fists; closing herself in, before taking a deep breath, and forcing herself to continue. "There is stuff they can do to you there, that..." She just shook her head, "be thankful you live a decent country."

She was silent for a moment, everyone was. Ari rubbed her eyes, before snapping back into her usual self, "is lunch ready?" She questioned, grinning at May Li.

"Yeah, it's on the table," May Li told her,

"great," Ari replied, leaving quickly, a spring in her step.

"She changed so quickly," Bailey commented, watching her retreating figure.

"Coping method," Jem replied, shoving her hands into her pockets, Mike came back into the office.

"I'm going to see your coach," Mike told Bailey, "and this _will _be sorted out."

Xxx

It was after lunch and Jem and Jack were sat in the garden (Ari had headed off suddenly to Sam's house, most likely to talk about the feelings that had been dredged up, or to attempt to do some homework, though the latter was unlikely).

Bailey and Faith approached the two teens, and sat down with them.

"Jack," Faith started, "about what you said earlier, we won't tell anyone if you don't want us to."

"Thanks," Jack replied, "but I think I'll keep it private." There was a slight pause, "so what do you reckon is going to happen?" he asked Bailey.

"Don't know, hopefully they understand that there was a reason that I flipped and maybe they will give me another go," Bailey replied, "but I don't know... I mean I'm not the best team player."

"But you can sort that," Jack told him, "stop being an egotistical loser, it's easy." He laughed, "team is family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten."

"Did you just quote Lilo and Stitch?" Faith asked,

"no," Jack replied, "shut up," causing the other three to laugh.

"Yes," a voice said from behind them, "the team is family, and hopefully Mr Wharton you will be able to begin to appreciate that a little more."

Viv Anderson stood in the garden, with Mike and May Li by his side.

"Am I getting another chance?" Bailey asked,

"yes, there is another try out at a different club in a couple of weeks time. Mike has agreed to take you, and I expect you to make a good impression on the new team; see if you can change some of those bad habits."

"Yes sir," Bailey replied, "thank you." Before looking to Jack, "thank you." Jack smiled back, and nodded.

"Bailey," Viv started, "if you give up, then you have only let the bigots and the racists win. I didn't give up and I reaped the benefits."

"Yes sir," Bailey repeated, attentively, before pausing, thinking. "What if you can't win?" He asked,

"there are rules," Viv told her,

"not for me," Bailey replied, he looked to Jack, who sighed.

And Viv looked at him questioningly.

"I'm trans," Jack admitted, "which means I am not eligible for a team or training scheme because I am still legally recognised as female. Which means that when I can legally be recognised as male, when I'm 18, that it will be too late."

Viv frowned, "how old are you?" He asked,

"15, 16 in 10 days," Jack told him, "sir."

"This try out session that Bailey is going for is for older teens, so," he turned to Bailey, "you're going to be the youngest one there, so you need to practise hard," he looked back to Jack, "if you come along too, then I will see if I can make some exceptions."

Jack froze, for so long he had labelled his dream as: unreachable, impossible, never going to happen. But suddenly from out of no where this flash of completely unexpected hope had appeared. "Thank you," he cried, "thank you," he repeated before completely breaking down.

"Everyone deserves a chance," Viv told him, he turned to Jem and Faith, "do you two want a go while we're at it?" He asked,

"no thanks," Faith replied, smiling.

"It could look good on the CV," Jem commented, and Faith hid her jokingly.

"So May Li, I heard you were asking for my autograph," he said, as he delved into his bag, "will this do?" He asked, presenting her with his signed shirt, and everyone couldn't help but laugh when May Li squealed with joy, before immediately becoming starstruck.

"So, may I have a guided tour of this place?" Viv asked, and Jem jumped to her feet.

"I am Jemima Anderson, definitely no relation unless you are descented from the 11th generation back, since I began to lose track of the family history around there," she paused, "and I will be your tour guide for today, and this is my assistant Faith Davis," and Faith stood up. "Our tour begins this way..."

"Does he know what he's let himself in for?" Mike wondered,

"probably not," Jack commented, "Welshie will probably talk him to death about the origin of the brickwork alone."

They laughed but it quickly faded into silence.

"Thank you," Bailey said suddenly, "all of you, I couldn't have done it without you."

"No... thank you," Jack replied, "I would never have..."

"Sometimes you've got to ask," May Li told them, "never be afraid to ask."

"May Li can I have a playstation?" Bailey questioned,

"no," Mike told firmly,

"and it always will be a no," May Li added.

"Thank you," Bailey repeated, before standing up and proceeding to hug May Li, then Mike, "you're the best."

And the two adults softened amazing, "thanks," Jack added, before turning to Bailey. "We have a try out!" He exclaimed, jumping up and down. "I think we need to get the practise started."

And Bailey nodded in agreement and the two boys headed away from the careworkers to find a ball.

"This may be great," May Li commented, holding up the shirt, "but seeing the look on their faces is infinitely better."  
"Definitely," Mike agreed, "I am so proud of them, my kids."

"Me too,"

"so what are you going to do with the shirt?" Mike asked, "wear it?"

"No, I'm going to frame it and I am going to look at it everyday, and remember all the good things that happened today," May Li replied.

"Sounds good," Mike stated, he paused, "do you think we should rescue Viv from the origin of the brickwork lecture?"

"Probably a good idea," May Li told him, "I'll put the kettle on, he'll probably need it."  
"He's going to need something stronger than tea to recover from this," Mike replied, laughing, and May Li nodded in agreement, before heading inside. Leaving the boys in the garden;

Both with a brighter future ahead of them.

**This chapter has taken me many days to write, and it is pretty long. I hope you enjoyed it :)**

**As I said at the beginning I am not trans or a football fan so there may be some technical errors but hopefully it is ok.**

**Please review xxx**


	59. Talking

**Chapter 59**

**Thank you Candy-apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Linneagb for reviewing, I am so pleased that you decided to give this story another go. I hope you enjoy it :)**

**Sorry for slow updates I got distracted by Sherlock (BBC), which consequently led to the headcanon that Jemima is Sherlock's daughter.**

The next Friday, seemed like a fairly average day at the end of a fairly average week, the end of a fairly average half term. The only main difference of this week was the news that Bailey and Jack were trying out for a team, which had made them minor celebrities, and Jack had managed to collect a gaggle of adoring fangirls.

Apart from that it was fairly average, until Friday morning when Ari finally made her appearance, after spending a practically illegal 20 minutes in the shower belting out a mixture of Elton John, Lady Gaga and Tegan and Sara. Then we she finally had appeared at breakfast she was not wearing her usual school uniform. Instead she was wearing what appeared to be the mixture of her school uniform and the hideous rainbow outfit she had worn on her first day at the dumping ground.

"You're never going to get away with that," Johnny commented, as she sat down grabbing the cornflakes.

"Today's a special day," Ari replied, pouring it and not providing any further explanation.

"Today is the 28th March 2014," Jemima explained for her, "aka the day that gay marriage was legalised in the UK, hence," she pointed at Ari, "why she is covered in rainbows."

"Because, you know, pride," Ari told them, she looked to Mike, "Mike, is it ok if Sam comes to school with us, because she is coming here before school."

"That's fine," Mike replied, just as the doorbell rang, "is that Sam already?" He asked, going to answer the door.

"But why do you need to dress like a weirdo?" Jody questioned,

"because we're celebrating, one step closer to equality and it means that one day in the future I will be able to get married, should I want to," Ari explained.

"Are you and Sam getting married?" Harry asked,

"what? Are we getting married?" Sam questioned walking in, dressed in similar, but less over the top clothing: a couple of rainbow badges, rainbow shoe laces added to her school shoes, her birthday bracelet for Ari, and a necklace.

"Not at the moment," Ari replied,

"but will you?" Harry wondered.

"Maybe, maybe not," she told him, "who knows what the future will bring."

"What about Erin and Rick?" Mo piped up, "you are having a baby, so surely you should be married."

"Mo, you don't have to be married to have a baby," May Li explained.

"But will they get married?" Mo asked insistently,

"hopefully," Rick said, wrapping his arm round his girlfriend who smiled at him, "maybe even next year."

"Wow, married at 16," Ari commented, "that seems..." everyone turned to look at her, "like a bold commitment to make. Especially since saying you live till your 80, you are promising to remain married for 80% of your life, and 64 years is a looooooooong time."

"Grandma and Nonno got married when she was 18, and he 19, and they are still together," Sam reminded her.

"It seems like life was simpler back then," Ari commented, sighing slightly, "though at least being young now means that I will be able to get married when I want, and that I don't have to wait until I am elderly for it to be legally recognised."

"What about Johnny and Jemima?" Mo asked, and everyone turned to face Johnny and the Welsh girl. Johnny looked to Jem who remained uncharacteristically quiet, before getting to feet, "got to get going, otherwise I'll miss my train," she announced, before sprinting up to her room, and back down the stairs, and out the door in record time. Leaving the room in an uncomfortable silence.

"What's up with her?" Erin wondered, and the conversation was struck up by them discussing theories. But Johnny was left with a rather dull feeling, like he had a rock sitting in his stomach while being dizzied with confusion: what was Jemima trying to say?

Xxx

Sam flopped down next to Ari without a second thought on the minibus, (or much a first one for that matter) and perhaps it was a little childish for Robbie to be annoyed about Sam sitting in _his _seat, but that didn't stop it being annoying.

Sam had known Ari about a week longer than he had, yet they were so much closer than he would ever be with Arietta. It was strange perhaps, that the closer he had physically become to Ari, by moving into the dumping ground, the further mentally they were apart; perhaps it was because how he no longer lived in danger, and she didn't have to be on watch for how he was reacting to the abuse. He was no longer a priority so she could turn her attention elsewhere.

He doubted that.

The reality was simpler; (despite what had happened to her in the past, and aged her beyond her years) she was young, and undeniably in love, and Robbie was the obvious third wheel. He couldn't condemn Ari's behaviour, after all she had gone through she definitely deserved some happiness, and plus she deserved it. It was her, after all, that had gotten arrested trying to get him and his Mum to safety, and perhaps it was selfish not to be completely satisfied with Ari's happiness.

It was not like she treated him badly and ignored him. They were in nearly every class together and she made school bearable for him, and vice versa. But he couldn't help but feel he wasn't good enough for his best friend; she was by no means popular at school, but she was loud, forthright and sassy and the majority of the classmates respected her for it. At the dumping ground she seemed to be winning everyone over, one at a time, even the two most difficult members: Bailey and Jack.

She was so busy making new friends that she was forgetting her old one, the one she hadn't promoted to a higher status.

Perhaps he ought to act rather than just sit around hoping his situation would change.

Xxx

Jemima was sat in her form room, the other girls in their usual cliques waiting for her only school friend to arrive.

"What's the matter?" Chastity questioned, as she approached Jem, sitting down next to her.

"Earlier, at the dumping ground," she explained, without hesitation, "everyone was discussing marriage, and one of the kids asked me if Johnny and I," she noticed Chastity grimace at the mention of her boyfriend, but didn't comment. "If we were going to get married, and I freaked out and walked out of the house."

Chastity remained silent.

"Chas," Jem chided, "you've been my friend since year 7; tell me what to do."

Chastity opened her mouth, "and don't say your usual idea of _dump him_," Chastity closed her mouth.

"I just don't know what you see in him," she replied defensively, crossing her arms across her chest. "He's not that good looking, and seems pretty... average, to be honest. And you, are most definitely, not average."

"I am not going to break up with my boyfriend, just so I can get with you instead," Jem told her firmly,

"I never said you should..." she replied,

"but you thought it," Jem finished.

"You have a boyfriend!" A girl from the other side of the class exclaimed, cutting into their conversation.

"Yes," Jemima stated.

"_You _have a boyfriend!" Someone else repeated, excessively emphasizing the _you_, surprised that someone of such a low societal rank could be found attractive by a member of the opposite gender.

Suddenly Jem found herself facing a multitude of questions: what's his name? What does he look like? Is he hot? Have you kissed? Have you had sex? What school does he go to?

"His name is Johnny," Jem told them, "he's about this high," she gestured in the air, "and this is what he looks like," she said, slipping a photo out of her notebook and passing it round. "Have we kissed? Yes. Sex? No."

"How long have you been together?" Someone questioned,

"I'm not really sure when it started," Jem admitted, "at the beginning it was a bit on and off. But I have known him since November."

Chastity was the only girl not hanging onto to Jem's every word, she had shoved her face into a maths textbook and I was attempting to do her maths homework, without much success.

"You need to put it in brackets," Jem said slipping off the table, and sitting down beside her.

Chastity didn't reply. "I'm sorry," the Welsh girl apologised, "I hate it when we fight, but I'm not going to break up with Johnny just because you don't like it."

"Do you like me too?" Chas asked, looking up from her book, into Jem's eyes.

"Of course I like you," Jem stated,

"as more than a friend?" She questioned impatiently,

"I like you in the same way that I like Johnny," Jemima admitted, "but I am not willing to break up with Johnny just so I can be with you."

She sighed, "sorry," she apologised, "I shouldn't be trying to take something away from you that makes you happy, just so I can be happier."

"You've still got me as a friend," Jem told her honestly, "and at this point in time that is the most I can give."

"Well at least I have got in some way, even if it's not the way I completely want."

Jem nodded, "ok, maths," she said, before proceeding to guide her friend through the questions.

Xxx

Sam and Ari linked arms and walked (or strutted in Ari's case) down the hallway where everyone stared at them, "why did I let myself be convinced to do this?" Sam muttered, and Ari laughed.

"Because you knew you would never look as stupid as me, and if I went wrong you could always blame me, and nobody would question it," she reminded her girlfriend, "I wouldn't be surprised if a few teachers would consider me a bad influence."

"I wouldn't be surprised either," Sam commented, and Ari hit her arm playfully.

"Oi, me a bad influence? That hurts. I am a perfect student, who gets high marks in every class and never talks when the teacher does, and I am head of the girl's basketball team... oh... wait... that's you."

"Yep," Sam told her, "anyway, my form room," she said, kissing her girlfriend quickly before going into class.

Ari quickly wandered to her classroom which was mostly full: Erin was in the centre of a huddle of girls, explaining how today was her last day until the baby was born, and Ari couldn't help but feel a small sweep of gratitude.

Things had gotten slightly easier since she had found out that the baby was a boy, slightly being the operative word.

But it was still difficult to see Erin nearly all day at school and then go home and see her there too. The pregnancy was inescapable, as if some higher being was cruelling taunting her, thinking that she had obviously not been through enough already.

Ari noticed Robbie sat in his usual sit, rocking on his chair, Ari swung down into her seat, he made no sign of acknowledgement.

"Robbie," Ari said, waving her hand in front of his face.

"Yeah. What?" Robbie snapped, unusually bad tempered.

"Um... sorry," she apologised, she paused for a second, reading his face, "have I done something wrong?" She asked after a moment.

"It doesn't matter," he told her shortly, pulling out his phone and beginning to play a game.

"Robbie," she said, he didn't respond, so she started prodding him, "Robbie, Robbie, Robbie, Robbie, Robbie, Robbie. Tell me what I have done wrong so I can put it right."

He did not reply.

"This is about me and Sam, isn't it?" She guessed, and Robbie finally looked up from his phone, slightly surprised she had gotten it (mostly) right immediately. "Sorry," she repeated, she sighed, "it's just hard," she admitted, and though Robbie didn't reply she knew he was listening. "As I can't really use the phrase _sisters before misters _in this occasion. Well it's not ever really appropriate in my context, but... whatever. I can't really use _bros before hoes _either. Because either way it means friends before people of romantic interest. But Sam was my friend before she was my girlfriend, so does that mean that making her my girlfriend is essentially a down grade because I should be putting her behind my friends."

She sighed again, "I just don't know what is the right way to manage my time," and Robbie snorted, before beginning to laugh.

"You make us sound like school projects," he told her,

"but... do you get what I'm saying?" She asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah... but that doesn't stop me missing you," Robbie stated, "or being a third wheel."

"I'm working on it," Ari replied, "though it might take a few months,"

"sorry, what?" He asked,

"doesn't matter," she told him hurriedly.

"Ari?"

"So tomorrow? What do you want to do?" She questioned,

"what if I'm not free tomorrow?" Robbie replied,

"well then the next day, or the next day, or whenever, just soon," she replied, grabbing his wrist.

"Tomorrow is good," he told her,

"and we can do whatever _you _want, apart from going to a shop that sells nothing but kebabs and no veggie options," Ari said.

"Well I'm not coming them," Robbie joked,

"no... please do," Ari cried, clinging to him, "you're my best friend, and I'm sorry that I've been a really crap best friend recently."

"Ok, I will do," he told her, and she grinned at him, before nicking his phone and continuing the game he had previously been playing."

"Ari!" He complained, snatching the phone back just as Miss Reynolds walked into the room,

"phone away Mr Jacoby," she commanded, before her eyes fell onto Arietta, and her mouth straightened into a line so thin that it was practically invisible. "Miss Rosenberg," she said crossing her arms, "that is not appropriate school uniform." Before noticing her vans, "have you got a note saying that you can wear trainers?"

"Yes," Ari replied, waving a piece of paper in her direction. Miss Reynolds stalked over and snatched the paper, reading it before examining it as if to check for forgery. Thankfully Ari knew

that would not be a problem since Jem was (perhaps too) excellent at faking documentation.

"And what about the hair?" The teacher asked, sighing handing the letter back, "because that hair is obviously not natural."

"Well it helps me deal with trauma," Ari said, completely bullshitting her way through an explanation. "Since in China, as it is a communist country, individuality was severely frowned on and by being forced to wear a school uniform with no variety from others causes me a lot of problems, and I haven't made the decision to change my uniform lightly. I talked to both my social worker and my psychiatrist, who, for the record, is lovely, and they both recommended changing my uniform, to help create a better, more positive, mind set for myself, so I can..."

"Ok, Arietta we get the idea," Miss Reynolds cut her off, "register."

"Oh," Ari muttered to Robbie, "the art of bullshitting until no one can be bothered to argue, it's like the less intelligent version of what Jem does, because when Jem does it she actually knows what she is talking about, not making it up on the spot."

"Do you reckon you can get away with it all day?" Robbie questioned,

"I don't know," Ari replied grinning, "we'll see, won't we?"

Xxx

Johnny found himself unable to concentrate in form time, mind replaying to Jem just sprinting upstairs, then out of the door.

Unwilling to answer the question.

What did it mean?

Of course he didn't expect Jemima to throw her arms around his neck and declare that she wanted to marry him as soon as legally possible, but did she find the idea so repulsive that she would run away instead of answering the question?

Checking his form tutor's attention was directed away from the class, he whipped out his phone:

_What was that about?_

He sent the text, and sat praying for a response.

_It's complicated._

Johnny didn't reply for a second, he was unsure of how to reply to that statement:

_Everything you say is complicated._

He finally replied, then realised that could be taken as an insult, and quickly sent her a smiley face to show that he was joking, despite his confusion and his phone buzzed a moment later.

_I will try and explain after school._

_Ok_: he texted back.

At least she wasn't ignoring him, he reasoned, and he felt slightly better than he had earlier for that but it still didn't completely eliminate the niggling at his mind, though he felt that it would completely disappear until Jemima explained it to him.

Hopefully he could ignore it and get on with his work.

Xxx

"Ari, tell me," Robbie demanded, they were sat in the canteen, and he was desperate to know what Ari was planning, that would stop him being a third wheel.

"Not saying," Ari replied, "my lips are sealed," and she mimed zipping her lips, while Robbie just raised an eyebrow at her.

"Fine," Robbie grumbled, stealing some of Ari's crips,

"oi," she complained,

"I thought your lips were sealed," he asked smirking. She scowled at him,

"shut up," she replied, scanning the canteen. Erin was sat with a gaggle of girls in their form, obviously going on one of her baby talks, by the way they were "oohing" and "aahing". Rick was sat with a handful of boys from their form, probably discussing something... normal.

"What do normal people talk about?" Ari questioned, and Robbie paused,

"can't remember, I've been friends with you for too long," he replied,

"rude," she exclaimed. "Very rude."

"Do you reckon Johnny's ok?" Robbie wondered, noticing the younger boy hanging around by himself.

"After Jemima's dismissal this morning?" Ari stated, "no."

"Shall we call him over?" Robbie asked, and before she could reply Robbie was beckoning him over.

"Hey," Johnny greeted, flopping into one of the vacant seats.

"Hi," Ari replied, pulling out her own phone to begin her usual Twitter, Facebook, Instagram checking spree. She didn't mind Johnny, and she wanted to keep it that way. Especially since she felt no inclination to be friends with him. Robbie however, was able to consider Johnny a friend, and grudgingly, she felt she had to respect. Especially since she had recently acted like such a bad one towards her best friend.

She heard Sam approaching, looked up and her girlfriend sent her a questioning look, in Johnny's direction, and Ari shrugged in reply.

"So, not meaning to be Arietta," Sam started, "but what is up with you and Jemima?" She questioned, unusually blunt.

"Why do you associate me with being blunt?" Ari questioned,

"because you are," Sam and Robbie replied, in perfect synchronisation.

"I don't really know," Johnny admitted, "she said she would explain later..."

"Have things been strained between you two?" Sam asked, and Johnny shook his head.

"She's probably just feeling a bit daunted," Robbie stated, "I mean, she's probably got a 40 year plan, and at no point she has made allowances for something as changeable as human emotions, I doubt she has ever thought about a long term relationship in her life, and talking about marriage earlier probably freaked her out."

Everyone stared at him silently for a moment, and Robbie raised his hands, "just my opinion, I'm probably wrong."

"Seems reasonable," Sam commented, and Johnny and Ari agreed, nodding, perhaps a little too fast, and a little too awkwardly.

"I mean I can hardly imagine 5 year old Jem planning out her wedding," Johnny stated, breaking the awkwardly silence that was rapidly descending.

"I was planning out my wedding when I was 5," Ari quickly added, "I was going to marry Willow Rosenberg from Buffy... Symphony had the videos..."

"You chose the surname of a fictional character to have as your own," Robbie stated incredulously.

"By the time I chose my name, it was more of sentimental value, even though there is no denying that Willow is gorgeous," Ari told them.

"But, yes," Ari continued, "at my wedding I was going to marry Willow, and Symphony... and dragons."

"That's quite unlikely," Johnny pointed out.

"Which bit? The mythical creatures or my deceased sister?" Ari snapped,

"Ari," Sam said softly, placing her hand of her girlfriend's shoulder, and Ari slumped forward, shoulders shaking as she began to cry.

"Sorry," the Chinese girl apologised, "sorry."

"Would you like to go outside?" Robbie asked the two girls, "it's only music next, Miss Wilson will understand if you're late. She adores you."

"Thanks... Robbie," Sam replied, a little gruffly, steering her girlfriend up and out of the canteen, arm round her shoulder, "come on Ari."

Xxx

Miss Wilson stood by her door, welcoming the class in. They came in a steady flow.

"Morning miss," Erin greeted,

"hello Erin," she replied, smiling at one of her more talented pupils, because while her class were an enthusiastic bunch, music was not the forte for many of them. "So how are you?" She asked,

"I am ok," Erin told her honestly, "tired, achy, can't wait until I am able to walk, and feel, like a normal person again."

"Well, it's not long to go, is it?"

"About six weeks," she said, "but they will be a _very _long six weeks."

"You never know," Miss Wilson commented,

"well I am not exactly sure what is going on," Erin admitted, "things don't seem to be very well organised, but I know at my check ups they were looking into a c-section, not because the birth would be particularly risky, but more as a precaution. So that may only be a month away, instead of six weeks."

"Well, I wish you the best," Miss Wilson commented, "I hope that he or she is a very healthy baby."

"He," Erin told her, before repeating it again, smiling, "he."

"I hope that he is a very healthy baby,"

"thanks Miss. Me too."

"Right," Miss Wilson said, dragging herself away from her favourite student, and to the front of the class, she scanned the classroom, pausing and frowning slightly. "Where is Sam and Arietta?" She questioned,

"I saw Ari crying, and Sam taking her out of the canteen," one girl stated, and Robbie raised his hand.

"Robbie?" She asked,

"Ari had a bit of a breakdown," he explained, "and Sam was just trying to calm her down, so they may be a bit late."

"Ok, thank you," she said, "so today we will be studying Moby: Why does my heart feel so bad?"

Xxx

"It's been two years," Ari commented, they were sat in a corridor, slumped against the wall. Clutching each other's hands. "I should be over this. It shouldn't be a shock to remember that Symphony is dead, and that I'll never see her again. But it is, and I still end up crying."

"It's nearly been three years," Sam stated, "and when I am singing along to a song on the radio, I still expect Shine to join in. To do harmonies and give up on the original song, turn off the radio and sing her own cover. I still expect her to peer over my shoulder when I'm doing my homework, to offer her help even though she hadn't been to school she was 9, and knew nothing of year 7 science, or maths... or anything."

"I still expect to hear Symphony tell me off when I play the violin," Ari said, before putting on an exaggerated Chinese accent with a half grin, "no Ari, no Ari. No good, why do you torture your instrument? What has it done to you? Why you torture that piece? Mozart is spinning in his grave."

"I still expect her to peer over my shoulder, and ask who I'm texting," Sam said, "or to burst into the room in the weekend and pull me away from my homework, and we would go on an adventure. If we had money we would get a train or bus ticket and just explore random towns, or on one occasion we went to the Peak district. We just wandered around. It was nice being away from the city." She smiled, happily reminiscing, "and when we had no money, and Shine wasn't in the mood for busking. We would go into town and wander round the shops, pretend we had lots of money and state all the things we would buy: that top, this CD, a pet guinea pig. And we would carry on, and we would just get sillier and sillier: a yacht, a yak, the entirety of the Arndale Centre."

She laughed, "we had fun, and I miss that. It was hard, but we were happy. And when she died, I blamed her for giving up; at the time it felt like she was giving up on me, and I blamed myself for not approaching the subject with her, not talking to her. Not trying to help her. If I had called child services Shine and I would have been taken into care, we could have built a better life together..." she trailed off, shaking her head.

"When Symphony died, at first I was ok with it; thought she was choosing the best option in the a bad situation. Then with Mia," Ari curled her hand up tighter, nails digging slightly into Sam's palms. "It made me so angry. Symphony had had a life; a precious gift, and she had thrown it away. She chose to end it. Mia never got that choice. And it isn't fair that some people throw away the life they are so lucky to receive, while others lose life before they even begin to live."

She gulped, trying to calm herself down.

"I blamed Symphony very badly when I was there. If _she_ had married Chao then_ I_ wouldn't have ended up in conversion therapy, the first act of torture. Then _I _wouldn't be smuggled by sea in a cargo container for numerous days, then _I _wouldn't be made a slave and then _I _wouldn't be tortured. _I _wouldn't have lost my daughter, and the chance of having any future children. That _I _will never go a day of my life without remembering what _I _had to face."

"What you survived," Sam whispered softly, and Ari ignored her.

"It will get better," Ari said firmly, "but it will never leave. Even if I live until I'm 102 and I can't remember my name, or Symphony's name, or Mia's name, or your name, I will still be able to remember what happened to me. And nothing that happens now will change that. Ever."

"But then if Symphony hadn't died, then I would still be living unhappily in China, and I would never get the opportunity to have a future. Other than orchestras, I would have no future. If Symphony hadn't died, then I would have never ended back here, or as a British citizen, and I would never have met you. Or Robbie, or Jemima, or Jack, or Faith, or anyone... And knowing how things turned out, I wouldn't want to give it up. I don't want to lose this future, I just wish I could have this future and my sister."

"Me too," Sam admitted, the two girls falling into silence, just thinking. After a minute Ari sighed, pulling out a mirror, and beginning to attempt to correct her smudged makeup.

Sam stood up, slinging her rucksack over one shoulder and offering Ari one hand, that she gratefully accepted.

"Thank you," Ari said, not letting go of Sam's hand.

"Class?" Sam asked, and her girlfriend nodded.

"We are doing Moby, Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad," Miss Wilson announced as the entered the classroom, smiling kindly at them. Like Erin they were both talented in music. Unsurprisingly Arietta was incomparable; talented in composing, talented in performing, well versed in musical knowledge and theory. Sam was more ordinary with her musical talents, but she still, along with Erin and a few others, shone in the class. Still massively better than the majority.

Sam and Ari took their seats, on the same table as Erin, Rick and Robbie looked to Ari, asking if she was ok, and she nodded minutely before giving her attention to her teacher.

Miss Wilson set some work, and made her way to Sam, Ari and Robbie's desk. "Are you two ok?" She asked, voice soft.

"We're good," Sam replied, after a look of confirmation from Ari.

"Well if you ever feel like you need some space in my class, all of you, then please ask, especially if it would help you. And I trust that you would not abuse this privilege," she said, and they all nodded.

She smiled, moving away from the table, before turning back, "Sam, Ari, I don't think that is proper uniform."

"Neither do I," Ari admitted grinning, "but spreading a bit of gay love has never hurt anyone."

"Unless the people spreading it have AIDS," Robbie added, "ow," he complained when she smacked his arm.

Miss Wilson said nothing, trying to keep a straight face, though her twitching lips were dead give away. "Get on with your work," she said, before leaving the classroom, and a moment later from the hallway they heard her beginning to laugh.

Xxx

"So, will I see you tomorrow?" Sam asked, as they trudged out of school. Glad that the spring term was finally over.

"No, Robbie and I are doing something," Ari told her,

"I thought..." Sam started.

"Robbie's my best friend, and recently I have been pushing him aside to spend time with you," Ari explained, "we could do something Sunday?"

Sam was silent for a moment, a little peeved about not seeing her girlfriend on Saturday, though she knew deep down that she couldn't occupy all of Ari's time, no matter how much she wanted to.

"Sunday," Sam agreed, before kissing her girlfriend quickly, "got to go, Nonno's driving," and sprinting towards his car. Ari smiled at her girlfriend's retreating figure, before getting onto the minibus and swinging into her usual seat, next to Robbie.

"So, next term you will be living with your brother, right?" Bailey asked,

"yes," Jack confirmed.

"So will you still come to St John's, or will you go back to your old school?"

"I am going to keep with this school," he told the minibus, who were all listening into his conversation, "it's only for, like, two months."

"So we're not getting rid of you completely?" Faith asked laughing, "damn."

"Sorry," Jack apologised, though he was laughing too.

"It feels like you have only been here for two minutes," Erin commented,

"well it's been two and a half months," Jack replied,

"yeah, but the spring term always goes quicker," Bailey reminded them.

"That means," Ari said, after a couple of seconds thought, "that you've been at the dumping ground for half the time, that I have been here." She paused, "it feels like longer."

The bus was in an awkward silence for a couple of moments, "sorry, I'm in a reminiscing mood today."

"Is that why you were late to music?" Erin questioned, arms crossed over her bump, and Ari found herself looking out of the window, instead of at Erin when she answered her question.

"Yes," she admitted, "with good memories, comes bad memories."

"What sort of bad memories?" Erin asked, "I mean... you've been here for ages, and does anyone know why you're here?"

"Sam," Ari started, "Robbie, Jemima and Faith," she concluded, before continuing coldly, "I fail to see how it's your business."

Erin stared at the Chinese girl, looking slightly hurt. "I thought you might just want to talk," she admitted.

"Well, if I want to talk I have plenty of friends to choose from," Ari snapped back, no even trying to be polite or protect Erin's feelings. She honestly didn't care how bitchy people perceived her as, she was literally done with having to polite to Erin; the girl who had everything _she _wanted.

"You can't, and I won't let you, speak to my girlfriend like that," Rick told her, venom in his voice, wrapping a comforting arm round Erin.

"Sorry, says who?" Ari asked,

"Ari, don't start a fight," Robbie stated.

"Ari, do start a fight," Bailey begged.

"Look, what happened to our rule?" Ari questioned,

"what rules?" Erin asked.

"Our unspoken rule: don't get involved in each other's life. You can have your life, and I can have my life. Just they don't need to cross over..."  
"well, that's a dumb rule," Erin snapped, "we live together."

"Well you started it," Ari argued, "at Christmas, I bought you and Rick a sleep suit for the baby, and you threw it, literally, back into my face. So I'm sorry that I can't forgive you, and be your friend."

"Arietta," Mike called back from the driver's seat, "be the bigger person."

"Mike," Ari replied, "it's not hard; I'm 5 foot 10."

"Look I was only trying to be friendly," Erin replied,

"why? Because you acted like a complete bitch for months and now Kitty has gone you've realised that you don't have any friends in the Dumping Ground," Arietta snapped.

"Ari, you're grounded," Mike shouted.

"Sorry Robbie," Ari apologised, "we'll just have to stay in."

"Why are you acting like this?" Faith questioned,

"look I am tired..." Ari started,

"you don't know what tired is," Erin snapped, "you're not 7 and a half months pregnant."

Robbie had to physically grab Ari to stop her from jumping at Erin.

"Ari, it's not worth it," he whispered in her ear.

"I know," she replied, "this is not worth continuing until there is a person of academic and legal value on the scene."

"What?" Robbie heard a couple of people questioning, and Ari was sat slumped in her seat, staring out of the window, pretending that she wasn't crying.

Robbie offered her a headphone and she put it in, and tried to escape through Robbie's music.

Xxx

When they reached home Johnny went to search for Jemima, she wasn't in the kitchen, or her room, and he eventually found in the garden, sat on a bench reading a book titled: Harry Potter a L'ecole Des Sorciers.

"Are you reading Harry Potter in _French_?" He asked incredulously,

"yes. Why?" Jemima replied.

"What's wrong with the English version?"

"Would reading it in English improve my French understanding?" Jem questioned,

"no," Johnny replied,

"precisely," she said, snapping the book shut. "I guess you want to talk."

"Do you want to break up?" Johnny asked,

"no," Jem replied, "I don't want to break up."

"What do you want?"

"That's the problem," the Welsh girl sighed, "I don't know. I don't know what I want, I know what I don't want."

"And that is?" Johnny asked,

"I don't want to find myself tied down, and being expected to lead a suitably old fashioned life, instead of having an academic career," she told him.

"When have you ever cared what anyone thinks?" Johnny asked, and Jemima nodded slightly.

"I never factored this, a relationship – of any kind – into my plan. And I don't know where it leads, and I like knowing. I don't like not knowing what is coming in the future, I want to be prepared, not caught off guard."

"That's not possible," Johnny told her,

"I wish it was," Jemima replied.

She sighed, "I'm sorry about this morning, just it caught me off guard and... I don't know... it just sort of occurred to me how changeable my future was and it's frightening."

"Life is frightening," Johnny replied, "and considering you know everything, I thought you would know that too."

"Well, Johnny Taylor, contrary to popular belief I don't know everything, but I'm pretty sure you could teach me," she replied, leaning in to kiss him.

"Teach you what?" Johnny questioned,

"emotions, human interaction," Jem replied, she smirked slightly, "maybe some other stuff in a couple of years."

"Do you mean like..." Johnny started,

"yes," Jem told him, "I do mean sex. And yes, I do mean a couple of years time. Because while I think the law is stupid and should be read as precautionary, not as the gospel; I do believe that the age of consent is something to be followed. So yes, if we are still together when we are 16 we can have sex. Well, as long as you want," she looked down at her book, and back up at her boyfriend. "Is there anything else?" She questioned,

"I'll leave you to your book," he replied, kissing her cheek before heading back inside.

Xxx

_She was being pushed further and further backwards, more and more into the darkness. Her back hit the wall and she was pinned there: round three._

_She closed her eyes praying from escape when a strong hand pulled her away from the wall, into the light._

"Breath," Jem commanded, clutching Ari's hand, which was shaking uncontrollably while her breathing was ragged, and she was snatching breaths.

"Ari," the Welsh girl said, "your name is Arietta Rosenberg, you are 15, you live in Ashdene Ridge in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a children's home also known as the Dumping Ground. You are in bed, you are safe. You live in England, the land of red postboxes, and the Albert Hall, and the proms, and the dictionary, and where gay marriage is now legal." She took her spare hand to reach Ari's phone, and in the background, on the lowest volume she started playing some Bach.

Ari's breaths slowed and she began to become more aware of her surroundings. She noticed Jem sitting facing her, eyes bleary, evidently tired.

"I woke you," she whispered, horsely, "I'm sorry."

"It's not you fault, I couldn't sleep anyway," Jem lied, "did you take your meds before you went to bed?"

Ari nodded, "I guess all the talking of the past made me remember it more."

"It would be in your subconscious, so you would be more likely to have intense nightmares," Jem confirmed, "I'll be back in a second," and when she returned she was carrying a glass of water, which Ari accepted gratefully.

"Do you want to talk?" Jem asked, and Ari shook her head, "sleep?" Arietta nodded, "you can leave the music on if you like."

"Thank you," Ari replied, flicking the light off.

Hoping the nightmares didn't come back.

**Sorry for slow updates, I am going away for the weekend but hopefully I will upload when I get back :)**

**Please review xxx**


	60. GI Johnny

**Chapter 60**

**Thank you Candy-apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing, and pointing out my mistakes :) which I have now (hopefully) rectified. **

**Thank you Linneagb for reviewing**

**Chapter 60! Wow. I can't quite believe I have written this much, though there is a still a long way to go :)**

**Sorry for the slow update, but my laptop broke and then I went on holiday, so I haven't had time (or the facilities) to write.**

It was a fairly average day at the dumping ground. Erin, Rick, Tee and Frank had headed into town shopping for supplies for the baby. Robbie and Ari were in Robbie's room, since it was the only thing they could do, thanks to Ari's grounding. While Jemima had headed over to Chastity's house to look over an Easter project they had been set.

And Johnny, Bailey, Jody and Mo were in the garden, making the most of the first day of the Easter holidays, regardless of the grey weather. They were attempting to play French cricket, when on the road next to the grass a woman was grabbed by a hooded figure. He was trying to get her handbag.

He sprinted it off, and Johnny tackled him, holding him back for a couple of seconds before he tripped over the woman's dog.

At this point the woman caught up and started trying to get her handbag back, while Johnny used his initiative I was able to get a couple of photos of the mugger before he escaped with the handbag.

"Are you ok?" The woman asked rushing over to Johnny, and giving him a hand up.

"I'm fine," he replied, "and I got a couple of photos of him."

"You'd have caught him if it wasn't for the dog," Bailey announced running up behind them.

"Hey, you should be congratulating your friend, not winding him up," the woman said, "not many people step up like that." She paused, before pulling out her diary, "can I get your name and number?" She asked passing it to him,

"sure," he replied, writing it down.

"The police will want to get in touch for that photo,"

"Ashdene Ridge," she announced looking at the address, "we've had a few people from there over the years." She passed him a card, "in case your care worker wants to get a hold of me."

"You're a sergeant major?!" Johnny exclaimed looking impressed.

"Yeah, Nicky will do," she replied, "thank you. Good to meet you all, especially you Johnny. See you," and with that she walked away with her dog, while Bailey mock saluted, and Johnny watched her retreating figure.

Xxx

"I can't believe you tackled a mugger!" Erin exclaimed, having returned from the shopping trip, and everyone was crowding round Johnny in the kitchen.

"I sort of did it, before I even realised before I was going to," Johnny admitted,

"that's really brave!" Mo told him, and Johnny grinned.

"Mo, he's really stupid," Tee pointed out, "he could have been hurt."

"He did get hurt," Bailey retorted,

"what?" Tee questioned.

"I'll save you miss," Bailey announced, as if he were a super hero and charging across the room before comically falling on his face, "sorry miss, I tripped over your dog." Causing the others to laugh.

"You've always got to be the centre of attention," Johnny snapped at Bailey, "haven't you?"

"Well, what can I say?" Bailey replied, "you've either got it, or you don't."

"He's just having a laugh," Faith interjected, "you were really brave."

"Thanks," Johnny grinned.

Before anything else could happen Harry rushed in with a letter for Bailey, formally announcing his second try that Viv had promised, and suddenly Bailey was the centre of attention again; Johnny's bravery forgotten.

He paused for a second, his finger running over Nicky's card and making a snap decision; he was going to see her.

Xxx

"This will give you an idea about the job and duties," Nicky told him, handing him a brochure,

"thanks," he replied, opening it and beginning to read.

"So, what did you care worker say when you were thinking of joining up?" Nicky questioned,

"I haven't told him yet," Johnny admitted, "I wanted to find out a bit more about it first."

"Oh, ok. Nothing wrong with a bit of forward planning, but it's good to talk it through with someone too." She bent down to pick up another brochure, "this is good for family and friends," she told him, "it will give them some idea of what army life will be like."

"Do you have an envelope?" Johnny questioned, "I just don't want everyone teasing me when I walk in with this."

"That is something we can help you with," she replied, turning to get one from the drawer, "being confident."  
"I am confident," he replied, accepting the envelope from her."

"There you go," she guided him towards the door, "now you give me a ring, or pop in, if there is anything you need to ask. And try some of those tests that I showed you on the website."

"Yeah, I am going to do them as soon as I get back," he replied eagerly.

"Just take your time Johnny," she told him, "signing up is a life changer, you don't want to rush a decision as big as that."

Xxx

There was a knock on Faith's door, "come in," she replied, spinning round to face Johnny. "What are you after?" She questioned, "because I doubt you're here to escort me to lunch."

"Can I borrow your laptop?" Johnny asked,

"why do you want it?" Faith replied.

"I'll pay you,"

"doesn't answer my question," she crossed her arms, waiting for an answer.

"I want to do something on it that I don't want to do downstairs," he told her.

"And this is?" She questioned, she paused for a moment, "and why don't you ask Jemima? She hasn't taken her laptop with her, and you could call her..."

"army practise tests," he announced.

"Oh," Faith replied, "are you thinking of joining up?"

"What do you reckon?"

"It could be really amazing," she told him, "aren't you a bit young though?"

"I can apply, but I need to be 16 to start training, though I might be able to start younger," he explained, "depending on circumstances. That's why I want to do the tests. To see if I was any good."

"Yeah, here," Faith replied, handing him her laptop.

"And you won't tell Tee, or Jem, or the others?" He asked, and she shook her head, "thanks."

Xxx

"It's too hard," Johnny announced, slumping down on the sofa next to Faith.

"All of it?" She questioned,

"it's teamwork," he told her, and Tee looked up at her brother, "two planks, eight recruits, one jerry can. No touching the ground."

"Er... what's a jerry can?" Tee asked,

"it's for carrying water," Faith explained.

"Um... yeah... one of my mates sent me a puzzle," Johnny told her, "reckons I can't do it," he looked nervously to Faith, "and I think he's right."  
"I bet I can do it," Bailey announced,

"not on your own," Faith replied, looking between the two boys, "but I bet you can help."

Xxx

"There's a policeman waiting for you in the office, and you're sitting on a plank in the garden by yourself. Have you been having fun while I was away?" Jem questioned, as she sat down on the plank next to her boyfriend kissing his cheek.

"I was trying to do a..." he paused, "a puzzle, but Bailey kept messing around and everyone gave up."

"What sort of puzzle?" She questioned, "oh," she said as she looked round the garden, "getting people from one end of a course to another, using planks of wood."

"Yeah," he replied dejectedly,

"so what's the policeman for?" She asked,

"I was witness to a mugging, and I... sort of... stepped in and nearly caught him, but I tripped over the lady's dog, but I managed to get pictures of the mugger."  
"So is this what you secretly do when I'm not around Johnny?" Jem asked teasing, nudging him with her elbow, "fight crime?"

"Yeah," he replied laughing slightly, "defend the streets of Newcastle."

"What are you? Ratman?"

"Yeah, I'm Ratman, and you're Sherlock."

Jemima laughed, "I should probably speak to the policeman," he sighed,

"yeah," the Welsh girl replied, "you probably should."

Xxx

"Do you remember Sergeant O'Donovan?" Mike asked as he entered the office.

"Yeah, Liam's brother, right?" Johnny replied,

"yeah, how are you Johnny?" He asked,

"I'm good," Johnny told him honestly, taking a seat.

"There was very quick thinking of you, getting a picture, this morning," he applauded Johnny, "do you want to tell me what happened?"

"Yeah... um... we were playing French cricket out the front, and I heard this terrible scream so I ran out to see what was going on, and I saw this guy trying to grab this lady's handbag, so I ran over yelling like "stop" but he didn't, so I shoved him over and but he got away."

"You shouldn't have taken that risk," he told Johnny, as Johnny handed the phone over, "you could've gotten hurt."

"But you can't get thugs like that get away with it!" Johnny exclaimed,

"and it's my job to see that they don't, not yours."

Xxx

"Are you ok?" Tee asked,

"I just got another telling off," Johnny complained, staring at his ceiling, "you could've at least taken my side this morning."

"I was worried," she replied, placing her hands on her hips, "you could have been hurt..."

"But I wasn't," he argued, and Tee sighed leaving him alone.

He stared in silence at the blank white of ceiling for a couple of minutes, before deciding he needed to talk to Nicky again.

Xxx

"I can't believe I am leaving already," Jack stated, and Jem was silent, "it doesn't feel like two and a half months have passed."

"Well I'm looking forward to getting my own room," Jemima replied, gesturing towards the room she was acquiring through Jack's departure.

"You can't wait to get rid of me," Jack joked, and Jem nodded.

"Yep, I just want the room."

"So you can plot your life as a criminal mastermind in privacy,"

"no," Jem told him. "I am on the side of the angels. I am going to be defeating the criminal masterminds."

Jack laughed, "ok then, you'll be solving the crimes."

The two teens eased into a silence, sat on the floor with Jem leaning against Jack, who had an arm around her. "I'm going to miss you," Jem told him, and that was all they could say, and for them it was enough.

Xxx

Upon returning from his meeting with Nicky, Johnny headed up to his room, wondering how he was going to instigate the conversation about joining up with Tee, and Mike, and Jem...

His thoughts were disturbed by a knock at the door,

"come in," Johnny said tiredly, and May Li quickly entered the room before closing the door behind her, and sitting down on the end of his bed.

"Are you thinking of joining up?" She asked,

"have you been spying on me?" Johnny demanded, fists clenched.

"No, I was putting your laundry away," she told him, "you know, you ought to have better hiding places."

He didn't reply, just looked away from his care worker.

"So are you?" She questioned,

"yeah," he finally admitted, "do you think I should?"

"It will be an excellent opportunity," May Li told him, "but you do need to make sure Tee is ok with it. You have talked to Tee about this...?"

"Not yet," Johnny told her, "I've only just started thinking about it."

"Well you ought to talk to Tee about it," she told him firmly, "just to let her know."

"Ok..."

Xxx

Johnny's attempted talk fell on deaf ears, Tee refused to listen and when Johnny repeated the conversation in the morning with Mike, he was met with the same reaction.

Except Tee was refusing to listen, while Mike was saying that he would advise Johnny's social worker not to sign the paperwork he needed to join up.

"You know, I could get you a lawyer," Jemima commented, walking into his room without knocking. Johnny looked up, propping himself up on his elbows.

"How did you find out?" He asked, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Everyone knows," she replied,

"oh," was all he always able to say, and he diverted his eyes away from Jemima.

"I think it's a good idea," she told him, much to his surprise.

"Despite the risks?" He questioned,

"sure it is dangerous, and the army does break as many men as it makes, but it is a good opportunity. A good thing to be a part of. I think especially for you."

"Do you think?"

Jemima nodded.

"So how will I convince Mike that?" Johnny asked,

"well you first option is to persuade him, sit him down and explain why you want to join up. Show that it is not a stupid snap decision, that it is something you have thought through."

"Second option?"

"Your second option is to find your Mum, and get her to sign the forms. Since they can be signed either by a parent or a guardian," Jem explained.

Johnny paused, "but I don't know the address, only Mike has it."

"Am I Jemima Anderson or not?" His girlfriend questioned, waving her notebook in his face.

Within a matter of minutes the two teens had successfully sneaked out, and made it about fifty yards before they came face to face with Tee.

"Where are you going?" She questioned, hands on her hips.

"We are going to see Mum," Johnny told her, "so she can sign my forms."

Tee's shoulders drooped, and she sighed.

"You're serious about this, aren't you?" Johnny nodded. "What about Keith? If he answers the door then we are done for."

"That's why I'm here," Jemima told her, "I'll go to the door and you can hide out of sight. If Keith answers then I pretend I got the wrong address, if your Mum answers then I will explain the situation to her, if I can do."

"Ok," Tee said, taking a deep breath, "let's do this."

Xxx

The air hung heavy as Jem, Johnny and Tee made their way up the street towards the house. As they approached the door opened and the Welsh girl pushed the Taylor siblings back, in an attempt to conceal them.

It was in vain though because the people exiting the house were a young couple, Johnny quickly sprinted up to them and began asking questions.

When he came back to Tee and Jem his shoulders were drooping, "Mum moved out a year ago," he turned to Jemima in desperation. "Are you sure there wasn't a more recent address?"

She shook her head, and Johnny kicked angrily at a lamppost, "I'm never gonna get the form signed."

They walked in an awkward silence, "why is everything so shit? Why can't we just have a nice normal Easter holidays were nothing goes wrong?"

"We live at the Dumping Ground," Tee reminded him.

"Well Mike is trying to go _normal _this Easter," Jem stated, "we're going on holiday for a week. I reckon he's going to tell us after Jack leaves, in an attempt to cheer us up."

"How do you know?" Tee questioned,

"where?" Johnny asked in quick succession.

"The Lake District," she replied, and he groaned. "I've been once with Melanie, and that was enough. She was a little let down too, she has since decided that if she wants to go on scenic holiday it will be outside the United Kingdom. I know she wants to go to Norway to see the fjords, but of course she wants to be able to take me, so she is trying to get Mike and my social worker on side," she laughed slightly, "she will convince them eventually. It's her job, and she's bloody good at it."

She continued talking, either unaware or not bothered by the fact that she was monopolising the conversation.

"She was on this case a couple of years ago, in America, where she managed to get a man who had been accused of murdering a family off the death sentence."

"She defended a murderer!" Tee exclaimed,

"no. The accused was an innocent black man."

"Why is that a big deal if he's innocent?" Johnny questioned.

"Because it was a black man, a black man who survived despite the charges against him. Most black men accused of crimes like that, or even crimes not like that, don't make it to court, because they are dead in a morgue, with a doctor carrying out a post-mortem, plucking out the bullets. While most of the time the real murderers, the cops, get away untouched."

She sighed, "got to love the land of the free."

Xxx

"Have you been asked to take part in a wrestling competition?" Jack questioned, Robbie and Ari who were sat in the lounge.

"By Tyler?" Ari asked, before nodding, "yeah." She laughed, "because of course, _I _am going to want to wrestle Harry."

"All this hassle because May Li won't take him to the wrestling," Jack commented, flopping onto a sofa flicking on the football.

"Is that why they are doing this?" Robbie asked, and Jack nodded.

"You have to give it to them, they are being creative," Ari stated.

"Well, I ain't gonna miss it," Jack told them, "sharing with four uni students, it will be bliss," he was silent for a moment before snorting, "not. It's gonna be shit, but at least I get to be with my brother, and my cousin."

"You know you could stay if you wanted," Ari told him, and he shook his head.

"Nah, living in the closet is too stressful," Jack replied, and Robbie looked between Ari and Jack, then to the door, to check no one was listening, and then back to the other teens.

"Are you gay?" Robbie asked cautiously, trying to tread carefully.

"Not quite," Jack told him, smirking slightly.

"Bi?" Robbie guessed,

"still off."

Robbie paused, thinking, sucking in his lips as he did so.

"LGBT," he muttered, "well you're not LGB." He looked to his best friend, as he tried to remember what the T stood for.

"Lettuce, Gravy, Bacon and Tomato," Ari replied unhelpfully, and Robbie scowled at her.

"Are you T?" He asked Jack, "what ever T stands for."

"Yes," Jack replied,

"ok," Robbie shrugged, "cool," before fixing his attention on the screen, "who's playing?"

"Yeah, who is playing?" Rick asked, entering the room with his girlfriend in tow. They settled on the coach and Erin took to rubbing her very large, seven and a half month pregnant belly.

Ari felt bile rising in her throat, as her eyes were glued to the repetitive, and probably, unconscious stroking.

_Why was she getting more sensitive to Erin's pregnancy? _She wondered. _She ought to be getting less bothered by it, not more. Surely she ought to be getting better not worse. Surely it shouldn't be getting easier to retreat into her own head, away from the world._

_That had been how she had coped, how she had survived that vicious year and a bit in the camp, by detaching herself from reality. Since she had come back she had started retreating, coming out of her shell, throwing herself into reality, out of her shell of illusions._

_Now she was shrinking back into the shell at the slightest thing: Erin's pregnancy, a sad song, a happy song, a story on the news, some words on a page..._

_Of course, living in reality was easier when surrounded by the people she loved: Sam, Robbie, Jem (and perhaps Jack if she was being generous) but as soon as their attention was not on her, she felt herself beginning to slip away. As if she was only real when her friends looked at her... _

_Or perhaps they were just her motivation to persevere, to not give up on the world just yet._

"Stop thinking," Robbie told her, shaking his finger at her, in mock strictness, "it's not good for you."

Her eyes pulled away to meet Robbie's kind brown ones, "focus on the football," he told her, putting an arm around her, and she moved up to him. His warmth helping her focus on the football (despite her lack of interest)and not once (even during the adverts) her eyes did not wander towards Erin.

Xxx

"You could have yourself hurt," Mike ranted, at the three kids. Tee apologised, Jem crossed her arms with a look of complete boredom plastered across her face, while Johnny looked attentive.

"What about Mum?" He asked,

"I've called your social worker, he's looking into it now," Mike told him, "but it was incredibly of you, all three of you."

"But I need my form signed," Johnny told him, "and Mum had to do it because you're telling my social worker not to sign it."

Mike stilled.

"It's not that I don't want you to go," Mike started, and Jem snorted, and Mike glared at her, "it's just I don't want you to sign up without thinking it through."

"I have thought it through," Johnny argued, "it is what I want to do. Like how Bailey and Jack want to be footballers, or Jem wants to be a private detective, or Faith wants to do physio. You didn't tell any of them they were making snap decisions."

"The army is different," Mike told him, "it is a lot more hazardous than football, or physio, or being a detective."

"Depends on who you are a detective to, and the cases you are getting," Jem told him, crossing her arms.

Mike sighed, "you can go," he said dismissing the kids,

"the army is a wonderful opportunity," May Li stated.

"The army is not right for Johnny. Trust me, I've known him for years," Mike told her,

"but I've only known him for just over a month which gives me distance and clarity," she replied, "and I think it would be good for Johnny."

Xxx

The afternoon drew to a close, and Harry was in his costume and everyone was crowded round, waiting for his opponent to be revealed. Everyone apart from Johnny.

At this point the doorbell rang, and Mike answered to discover Sergeant Nicky on the doorstep, along with home made brownies to thank Johnny for helping her out.

Mike knocked on Johnny's door, and when Johnny didn't answer Mike opened the door anyway.

"What?" Johnny questioned, not looking up, just keeping his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"Sergeant Nicky is downstairs," Mike told him, "she wanted to thank you for your help yesterday."

Johnny didn't reply.

"Well more home made brownies for me," Mike replied, leaving the teen boy alone, but within a minute Johnny was following him downstairs.

Xxx

"I have talked to the leader of the local cadet unit," Nicky told Johnny as they ate the brownies, "and he said that he would be happy for you to go along."

"Aren't I too old?" Johnny questioned, and she shook her head,

"plus it will give you a bit of an insight into what army life which will be good, and will help you make a decision," she said. "And," she gestured in Mike's direction, "it will help them realise that you are serious about this."

Johnny smiled, "thanks," he said,

"no, thank _you_ Johnny," Nicky replied, "it's been a pleasure."

Before they could say more Tyler led Harry into the designated _arena _area for the wrestling match, and paraded him around the arena.

"And his opponent," Tyler announced, "the screamer." Floss walked into the arena, dressed in what appeared to be a dressing gown. She was silent for a moment before screaming, very loudly and very shrilly. "May Li is the referee," he declared, when Floss had finished her vandalism towards people's ear drums.

May Li took her place in between the two competitors, before laying down the rules.

"3, 2, 1," she said, before blowing a whistle. Instead of wrestling each other, Floss and Harry turned on her. Wrestling her to the ground.

"That's for not taking me to the wrestling," Harry told her, some what smugly.

"And the winners are Harry and Floss!" Tyler exclaimed, thrusting the victors' hands into the air, while Mike offered May Li a hand to pull her off the floor.

The crowd applauded, and cheered.

"This place may be mental," Jack commented, above the noise of the crowd, "but I'm sure gonna miss it."

**That's the end of chapter 60. Sorry again that it took so long. Next time I upload I will have my GCSE results (let's pray for low grade boundaries).**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review :) **


	61. Postbox Promises

**Chapter 61**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Dej7902 for following and favouriting OTTS, as well as The Days Before Tomorrow series.**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

"I'm free!" Jack exclaimed, as he was met with various cries of _Happy Birthday_. "Thanks, mate," he said, as Mo handed him a birthday card. He opened the envelope and studied the drawing on the front, "I'm not a professional footballer," he commented after a moment.

"Yet!" Bailey shouted, and the other kids nodded in agreement.

"Well, you are to us," Mike told him, and Jack was silent for a moment before hugging a surprised Mike, while the other kids exchanged a look.

"Thanks," Jack said pulling away, he looked back at the card, showing a drawing of him playing for Manchester United.

"Who drew this?" He questioned, and all eyes turned to a slightly embarrassed Bailey.

"Thanks Bailey, mate," Jack told him, "it's great."

"It's alright," Bailey said shrugging it off, attempting to conceal his pride.

"Come on," Jack declared, "time for manly hugging," he pulled the younger boy into a hug. "Shut up Welshie!" He shouted after a moment, pulling away from Bailey to jokingly glare at Jem.

"What did I do?" Jemima questioned,

"you were being yourself," Jack replied, grabbing her and pulling her into a tight hug, ignoring Johnny's burning glare.

"You know I might miss you Welshie," Jack commented,

"yeah I will miss you," Jem agreed, "well... until a new mystery turns up," she rectified.

"How is Jack a mystery?" Tee questioned, and a couple of others murmured their own questions. Jack just smirked,

"you'll find out some day," he replied enigmatically, "plus this ain't goodbye. Jodes is still my cousin, Bailey is still my football partner and Jemima is still my Welsh detective..."

"What about me?" Ari questioned, throwing her arms into the air, indignantly, "what am I?"

"Arietta is still Jemima's incredibly camp sidekick," Jack replied, and Jemima nodded.

"I approve of your allocation of sidekick," she announced.

"Really?!" Ari stated, a little shocked.

"Your deductions are a month slower than mine," Jem replied cheerfully, "but that is still faster than everyone else."

This comment was met with complaint and questions, both of which were ignored by the Welsh girl.

"I need to finish packing," Jack said quietly, slipping away from the table. The room was silenced, and as the usual breakfast chatter broke out Jem's phone vibrated.

Message from Jack:

_my room_

Xxx

Jemima nad Jack were working in silence, packing the last of Jack's things.

"Are you throwing me a surprise birthday slash leaving party?" He questioned,

"you said you didn't want one," Jem stated.

"Good," he replied, flopping down onto his stripped bed, "I couldn't stand the attention," and Jemima sat down next to him.

"I thought this last three months were going to be proper shit," Jack finally said, "but," he looked to Jemima, "I can't remember ever being happier, and I'm gonna miss this place, despite it's craziness."

There a brief silence, "I can't thank you enough," he told her, "I wouldn't have been this happy if it wasn't for you."

"And people say being nosy is a bad thing," Jemima replied, and the two of them laughed together before settling into silence.

"I'm going to miss you Welshie," Jack repeated,

"well just because you don't live here any more doesn't mean you get to escape from my maths revision sessions," Jemima replied.

"Of course," he stated, as if it were obvious, "I'm relying on you to teach me the entire syllabus in two months."

"You can always rely on me Jack, promise,"

"thanks Welshie." 

"Actually," Jem stated, smirking slightly, "I'll upgrade that to a postbox promise."

"What the..."

Xxx

Max and Luke were putting Jack's things into the boot of Max's car while Jody was hugging Jack like her life depended on it.

Mike was ushering all the kids inside, telling them to "give the family some privacy".

Jemima stood solidly on the drive, with Bailey on the right, a look in her eye, challenging Mike to ask her to go inside, just so she could refuse. He said nothing, just watched the other kids who yelled their goodbyes and traipsed inside.

"See you soon kid," Max declared ruffling Jody's hair, while she ducked her head away, feigning embarrassment.

"Max! Seriously?!"

"Yes, seriously," he replied, pulling her into a hug, before pulling away, allowing Luke to take over hugging duties, and getting into the driver's seat of the car.

Luke got into the car quickly, giving Jack privacy for his last few farewells. He quickly hugged Jody, before tackled Bailey with the ball he was playing with, kicking it off in the other direction, leaving Bailey to sprint after it.

Then he was standing in front of Jemima.

He pulled her into a bone crushing hug and they stayed there for a lengthened moment, when he pulled away Jem wiped away his tears that were threatening to fall.

"Real men don't cry," he said to himself, and Jemima raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"Mr Jackson, if you think that, you _need _feminism," she told him, and he laughed slightly, pushing a strand of hair that had come out of place, off her face.

"I need you," he replied honestly, hand resting on her jaw, moving an inch closer. Their eyes locked for a second too long and then everything was moving too fast: another hug, a quick smile, anf waving as Jack drove out of the dumping ground.

"Look after my room Welshie!" Jack yelled from the open window,

"will do!" She yelled, watching the retreating vehicle.

"What was that about?" Bailey questioned, and Jem jumped, having forgotten that she wasn't on her own.

"What was what about?" She lied, before returning inside, ignoring the looks of Jody and Bailey, and the scream of her teenage hormones.

Xxx

There was a small relief from Jemima when she had reached lunchtime, and had not been at the receiving end for any of Tyler and Jody's April Fools Day pranks.

However that did not stop her from pushing her food around her plate, a habit she found irritating in others, due to the inefficiency at eating the meal in front of them.

The earlier fun had worn off, and had left the kids some what subdued, Mike sighed, hating to see his kids so out of character.

"I have some good news!" He announced, breaking the uncomfortable silence, "on Thursday we are going on holiday for a week."

The silent room was filled with voices, all asking questions and demanding answers.

"Is it Disneyland?" "Is it in England?" "We better not be going camping." "Can we go go karting?" "Will the weather be nice? Can we go to the seaside?" "Can Sam come?"

Mike stood in silence waiting for the voices to quieten down.

"Are we going to Disneyland?" Harry repeated,

"better," Mike exclaimed, and everyone immediately began theorising.

"London!" "New York!" "The moon!" "Spain!" "Barbados!" "Hollywood!"

Jemina sighed, knowing the truth was far from the others imagined, and was going to disappoint them.

"The Lake District," she said without enthusiasm.

"Correct," Mike replied, everyone was silent for a moment.

"You said it was better than Disneyland!" Jody complained,

"it is!" Mike argued, "beautiful scenery, quiet and peaceful. That is miles better than Disneyland."

"Yeah," Ari commented, "if you're old!"

"Are we camping?" Erin questioned,

"no," Mike told them, "we are staying in a luxury hotel." Causing everyone to cheer.

"Youth hostel," Jem corrected.

"Which, in my day, was equivalent to a luxury hotel," he told them.

"Mike, it's 2014," Bailey complained, "not the 30s."

"I'm not that old, young man," Mike replied.

"Does it even have electricity?" Ari questioned,

"of course it does," he told her, "it's still in England."

"What about phone signal?"

"I'm not sure," he replied honestly, "it might do, it might not."

"So we are going on holiday for a week?" Erin confirmed,

"yes," Mike told her, "Thursday to Thursday."

"Who goes on holiday on a Thursday?" Tyler questioned,

"it's cheaper," Mike explained.

"So, what are we doing on our holiday?" Faith asked, and Mike grinned, glad the kids were taking an interest.

"We will be doing Go Ape one day," which was met by cheers, "we were be doing Orienteering another day," which was met by groans. "And we will, of course, be doing some walking." Which was met with pantomime booing.

"We will also be going shopping one day," May Li added,

"and we'll decide more activities when we get there," Mike contributed.

"Overall, it's going to be a great holiday," May Li told them, attempting to inject some enthusiasm into the kids, "now, get packing."

Xxx

Ari and Jem had (unusually) followed May Li and Mike's request, and were packing.

Jemima was sorting all her possessions into two piles: _going on holiday_ and _going to her new room_, since now that Jack had left she was getting his old room. Not the Jem was able to get much packing done, due to the fact she was having to supervise Ari's packing, since the older girl seemed to lack common sense when it came choosing out appropriate clothing.

"Arietta, we are going to the Lake District, not Italy. You need layers, not your summer wardrobe," Jem declared, rooting through Ari's pile and discarding everything that was unsuitable, which was most of it.

"Coat?" Jemima questioned, "it's going to be cold." Ari produced her favourite coat, aka Symphony's Gucci trench. "Put it back," the Welsh girl commanded, "that is not suitable and will get wrecked if you take it."

Arietta sighed, flopping down onto her bed while Jem went to look through the wardrobe, which was meant to be shared, by was overflowing with Ari's stuff alone, leaving Jem to fill the drawers.

The Welsh girl began flicking through the clothes, marvelling at the collection of unsuitable clothing Ari kept, including _two _floor length black ball gowns, that Jem presumed had been bought for some concert with their orchestra.

Jemima began pulling out all the jeans in the wardrobe, because they were the most suitable of the unsuitable.

"I can't take them!" Ari exclaimed,

"I'm just looking," Jem snapped, "have you got any tracksuit bottoms?"

"At school," Ari replied honestly,  
"what use are they there?!"

"My trainers are there too," the Chinese girl admitted, and Jem just stood staring at her.

"Right," she said after a moment, "you are just going to have to borrow someone else's clothing."

"But I am miles taller than all the other girls,"

"inches," Jem corrected, and at this point she was barely attempting to conceal her frustration, "then borrow from one of the boys, like Robbie. Or try and get some suitable clothes from Sam, since I would like to imagine that your girlfriend has more sense when it comes to clothing than you."

Ari paused, considering, then nodding, "you're right, Sam is the sensible one. I'll go and ask Mike."

With that she exited the room, giving Jem the space to pack.

Xxx

"Mike?" Ari asked, voice wheedling from the doorway of the office, "I haven't got any suitable clothes..."

"I'm not taking you on a shopping trip," he told her immediately,

"I wasn't asking you to," she replied, "I wanted to go and see Sam, and hopefully borrow some clothes from her."

Mike was silent for a moment, considering her request. "Ok, but you have to be back before tea."

"Ok, thanks Mike," she replied, sprinting off.

Xxx

"I thought you were grounded," Sam said, letting her girlfriend in.

"I am, but Mike has let me come," Ari explained,

"doesn't that sort of defeat the point of being grounded?" The blonde questioned,

"well... not really because this visit is with a purpose."

"I thought most of your visits had a purpose!" Sam exclaimed,

"Mike does not count: cuddling, kissing, watching Friends, Buffy or Disney movies, and eating, as a _visit with a purpose_."

"But they are the best visits," Sam argued,

"I agree," Ari told her, "but I have come to steal your clothes."

Sam looked down at what she was wearing, and back up at Ari, "huh?"

"We are going on holiday to the Lake District for a week on Thursday."

"Thursday?"

"Yeah, I know, right?" Ari paused, "anyway I have no suitable clothing, and Jem said that I ought to see if I can borrow some of yours, because no one in the Dumping Ground is tall enough."

"Ok," Sam replied, "let's go stare at my wardrobe."

Xxx

"As long as I don't get trapped in a bear trap, I reckon this holiday will be ok," Erin commented, as Rick chucked the clothes he was taking into a bag.

"Well we are not going to get lost in the woods this time," he added, and Erin shuddered.

"Yeah. Definitely not," she replied, remembering the fear she felt when she was faced with the prospect of staying the night in the woods. Worried about a what they thought was a wolf, but was most likely, in reality, a dog, especially since there were no wild wolves in Britain.

"Also the Lake District is closer than Devon," Rick reminded her, "and we're not camping, we are in a '_luxury hotel'._" He quoted Mike, causing Erin to laugh.

"Yeah, right," she replied, "well, as long as nothing happens early," Erin stated, indicating downwards to her heavily pregnant belly and Rick nodded, understanding.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, plus the Lake District is only an hour and a half away," he told her.

"Yeah," she agreed, "and I promise not to do anything stupid."

Xxx

"I look stupid," Ari declared,

"no," Lynne disagreed, "you look love..." she gave up to a fit of giggles,

"Grandma!" Sam exclaimed, trying her hardest to keep a straight face but failing, and dissolving into giggles. While Arietta glared at the duo, hands on her hips, eyebrows raised.

"Ari, I hate to break it to you," Sam started, "but you can't pull off Millets chic."  
"That's not even a thing," Ari argued, "and if it is a thing I don't care. I don't care about the Lake District either, if I wanted to look at pretty scenery I would go on Google images."

"Ari, it's not quite the same," Lynne told her.

Arietta ignored her, just choosing to continue, "anyway my idea of pretty scenery is a city skyline. I'm a city girl not a country girl, and I'm talking about a proper city like London, or New York, or Berlin, or Tokyo, not Newcastle."

"Newcastle is a proper city," Lynne told her, "especially when you have spent the last forty years in a small town in rural Italy."

"But it isn't when you grew up in Beijing, the capital city of the most populated city in the world."

Sam wasn't exactly sure what was going on between her Grandma and Girlfriend but decided to interject.

"The clothes may not be the most fashionable, or well fitting," she gestured towards the trousers that were two inches for Ari's extremely long legs and without the belt tightened to its maximum, the trousers would fall straight down. The top draped unflatteringly, showing off all the curves that Ari did not possess. "But on the plus side," Sam continued, "it doesn't matter if they get wrecked."

Arietta pulled her eyes away from her reflection, "thanks," she replied, "it's probably better than any clothes Robbie could offer me."

"Though, on the down side, you wearing Robbie's clothes would have probably been funnier," Sam told her. Ari said nothing for a moment before cracking a smile.

"Probably," Arietta admitted, as Aldo's voice drifted up from the downstairs, demanding his wife's attention causing Lynne to roll her eyes.

"I guess I'll have to sort his majesty out," she stated, sighing, despite finding her husband's behaviour slightly endearing, "I'll leave you two girls to it."

"Thanks," Ari said, after Lynne had left, smiling at her girlfriend. "Even if these clothes are fucking ugly."

"But they are practical," Sam replied,

"yes Mum," Ari said, laughing, and Sam shook her head, smile creeping onto her face.

"And I'm sorry that I can't be here..."

"it's fine," Sam told her, "anyway, it's not like you chose to go on holiday."  
"But if you need me I'm only a call away," Ari insisted.

She hated that she couldn't be there for Sam, on the day that would have been Shine's 20th birthday. Sam had been there for every painful anniversary that had passed, but Ari couldn't be there for her.

"I'll be fine,"  
"are you sure?" Ari checked,

"completely," Sam told her, "don't worry about me. Just focus on enjoying yourself."

"Thanks," the Chinese girl replied, stroking her girlfriend's jaw who kissed her quickly, before pulling away with a mischievous look on her face. "What?" Ari asked.

Sam didn't reply, just grinned again and next thing Ari knew was that she was writhing as Sam tickled her.

"Stop it," Ari begged, trying to escape from her girlfriend's clutches in between laughs.

"Never," Sam told her, just as there was a knock at the door.

"Sam, Ari!" Lynne called through the door, "if you want us to go out, so that you two can have a bit of space..."

Sam and Arietta took one look at each other, before finding themselves laughing even harder.

"Are you ok in there?" Lynne asked, sounding a little worried, "can I...?"

"You can come in," Sam told her, and her Grandma cautiously poked her head around the door, as if scared at the scene she might see.

"What was going on?" She questioned, slightly surprised that both parties were fully clothed.

"Your granddaughter," Ari started, pointing at Sam, just to clarify that fact, "was tickling me."

"Oh! Ok. Well if you still want some space..."  
"it's fine," Sam replied, "we not doing anything out of the ordinary."

"Or having sex," Ari added, causing Sam to stare at her.

"That classifies as something that is out of the ordinary," the blonde explained.

"Oh ok," the Chinese girl said, turning to Lynne, "don't worry that won't be happening until Sam is at least 16." While Sam cringed, most definitely not comfortable with her girlfriend and grandma discussing sex.

"Ok, lovely, goodbye Grandma. No need for us to have this conversation," Sam said rapidly, ushering her Grandmother out of the door while Ari laughed.

"You're too cute," Ari told her, and Sam scowled, and Ari just grinned back.

Xxx

"Enjoying being by yourself?" Robbie questioned, and Ari looked up from her book that she was stumbling her way through.

"Why are the books for English so long?" She replied, and Robbie sat down on the end of her bed, "and why do they use such long words?"

"Who knows,"

"not me," Ari stated.

"You do realise that we are going to be sharing a room with other people?" Robbie asked, Ari looked up.

"What?"

"On holiday, we are going to be sharing rooms," Robbie explained,

"fuck," Ari swore, and Robbie nodded. "I'm going to be with Erin."

"Probably," he replied,

"fuck," she repeated, "fuck. Fuck. Fuckity Fuck. Fuck."

"Fuck doesn't even sound like a word any more," Robbie stated, and she sighed.

"God, how am I going to survive a week?

"Just try and avoid Erin as much as possible," he suggested,

"we're sharing a room."

"Fair point, hmm... I don't know. I guess you'll just have to survive,"

"I'm good at surviving," she sighed, and Robbie put an arm around her.

"You'll have me, and Jem. And you can still call Sam."

"Hopefully I will be able to share with Jem instead, or Faith."

"Me too," Robbie agreed.

Ari smiled slightly, nodding, confidence restored, "I can do this. It's only a week, I can survive this. I have survived so much more."

"That's right."  
"Thanks Robbie."

"Anyway," he said standing up, "we still have another day before we go. Anyway, Harry Potter, the first one, is on television, and everyone is watching it. Do you want to join us?"

She smiled at her best friend, "of course I'm coming. I love Harry Potter," she stood, following Robbie to the door. "I'm Hufflepuff, which house are you?"

"I don't know," Robbie admitted, "not Ravenclaw. Maybe Slytherin."

Ari shook her head, "no. You're not a Slytherin. You're a Gryffindor. My Gryffindor. My best friend. Well as long as you don't mind being friends with a humble Hufflepuff..."

"you? Humble?!" Robbie laughed, as they left the room.

"Shut up."

"Never, Miss Egomaniac."

"I'm not an egomaniac."

"Ok, well I heard they have popcorn," Robbie changed the subject, as they made their way down the stairs.

"Sorry, Robbie. Don't change the subject, we were talking about my egomania," Ari said, laughing.

"Never change Ari. Never." Robbie said, grinning back.

"Ok, I won't. Promise. Postbox promise."

**This chapter was originally meant to be longer but I decided to leave it here :)**

**It was a bit filler-ish but I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Please review xxx**


	62. The Unluckiest Day Of The Year

**Chapter 62**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl1 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

"Come on! Move it!" Mike yelled, "we were meant to leave an hour ago."

"1 hours, 12 minutes, 37.6 seconds," Jem corrected.

"But Mike I'm so tired," Erin moaned, "I'm practically dead."

"Where's Ari?" May Li questioned,

"she's still in the bathroom," Mike told her.

"Still?!" May Li exclaimed,

"she's doing her makeup," Jem explained, "Mike told her to do it on the coach, so in protest she locked herself in the bathroom so she could do her makeup without disturbance."

"Does it take an hour to do your makeup?" Johnny questioned,

"it does if you're Ari," his girlfriend replied.

"Have you tried getting Ari out of there?" May Li asked,

"I told her to hurry up, and she locked herself in there. I'm not going to ask twice," Mike replied.

"That's probably wise," Arietta stated, strutting into the room and Jemima rolled her eyes at her outfit, a fairly average Ari outfit: a top paired with a skirt, that had not probably not been designed as a mini skirt, but on her it was – definitely not a suitable outfit for the Lake District.

"Do you have any idea how late you have made us?" Mike demanded,

"I don't, but I imagine that you are probably going to tell me," she replied.

"This is not the time for being smart,"

"if I was smart I wouldn't be failing most subjects at school," she stated.

"Ari, shut up," Robbie hissed, and she sighed, but giving in.

"Ok, everyone on the minibus," Mike commanded, and everyone piled on, splitting off into pairs to sit together: Erin and Rick, Jemima and Johnny, Arietta and Robbie, Tee and Frank, Jody and Tyler, Bailey and Mo, Floss and Harry, leaving Faith on her own, not that she minded; she was glad to have space so that she could try and do some revision for her AS exams.

Within five minutes of driving Tyler was already asking if they were nearly there yet, while Harry was saying that he needed the toilet. Jemima had been nominated to be in charge of the music for the journey, since people believed that she would be the most democratic about song requests, probably because they didn't know her past cases of corruption.

Either way it meant that Jem was being bombarded with song requests and arguments, yet she still managed to make fair decisions about which song would play next. Well relatively fair, if you included deliberate mishearing and not hearing, but it was probably for best. No one really wanted to listen to Justin Bieber, or the Frozen soundtrack in Portuguese, which really led to the question of why Ari possessed the Portuguese soundtrack in the first place.

"Why couldn't you have done your makeup in the bus?" Erin questioned, after she had finished applying her own.

"That would have involved leaving the house without makeup on," Ari replied, not looking at Erin, fixing her gaze on Tyler's hair.

"Yeah... and who would have seen you?" She pointed out,

"you. Everyone else," Ari gestured at the people sitting around her.

Jemima observed the situation, working out how to distract everyone away from Ari's makeup habits, that Arietta didn't want to be discussed.

Fortunately there were some songs that could always distract people, and she was in control of the stereo.

Within a couple of seconds everyone was doing the actions to the YMCA.

Xxx

Eventually they arrived at the Youth Hostel, after what should have been a fairly short journey but had been interrupted by stopping at 4 separate service stations, doubling what would have been a 90 minute journey.

"Finally!" Erin declared as she tumbled off the minibus with all the others, and they all took their first proper look at where they were staying.

"It looks a like shit hole," Bailey said, after a moment.

"It looks like a youth hostel," Jemima corrected.

"What's that smell?" Ari questioned, looking disgusted.

"That would be fresh air," Mike told her, getting off the minibus.

"It's disgusting," she replied, wrinkling up her nose.

"Right, come on," May Li said, opening the storage from the minibus, "get your bags."

Everyone scrabbled for their bags and Mike led them inside. May Li and Mike went to get their keys while they all sat down in the reception area.

"My phone's dead," Ari complained,

"you forgot to charge it, didn't you?" Robbie guessed,

"it's not my fault," she replied.

"Well... it sort of is."

"You will be in rooms of four," Mike announced, and everyone started looking around trying to decide who they wanted to share with.

"Wait..." Rick said, "we have to share rooms!"

"Of course," Mike told him.

"Tee," Erin said, smiling at the younger girl, who nodded in agreement.

"Jem," Ari claimed, even though she knew that they would likely have allocated rooms, "Faith."

"In the first room we'll have: Frank, Rick, Johnny and Robbie. In the second room we'll have: Bailey, Tyler, Mo and Harry. In the third room we'll have: Tee, Jody and Floss."

Arietta sent a worried look to Robbie, sharing with Erin was a terrifying prospect that seemed to have become a reality; she couldn't imagine a (realistic) prospect more daunting.

"In the fourth room," Mike read, "we'll have: Faith, Erin, Arietta and Jemima."

Faith she would happily share with, and she was used to sharing with Jem but Erin... Arietta was already panicking; listing all the things that could go wrong, and there were lots of things that could go wrong.

Robbie placed an arm round his obviously tense best friend, she was still for a moment before leaning into him.

"You'll be ok," he whispered, "it's only for a week and Faith and Jem know the truth, they'll look after you, they're your friends."

Ari smiled slightly, and pressed his phone into her hand. "Call Sam," he whispered. Ari stared at the mobile for a moment before hugging her best friend,

"thank you," she replied.

"I have allocated a leader for each of your rooms, and they will be in charge of the others and look after the key," Mike explained.

"The leaders are: Faith, Frank, Tee and Bailey," May Li announced, "and you four will be expected to keep the peace in the room..."

"Faith will have her work cut out," Johnny commented, looking between Erin and Ari.

"I am expecting you two to act maturely," Mike announced, looking at the two girls.

"Well that is harder for some people than others," Erin commented, and Ari didn't reply, her grip just tightened on her phone.

"But this is a holiday," Mike reminded them, "so don't forget to have fun," he paused, smiling to the kids, "now go and take your bags to the room, then come back here, and we'll meet for lunch. Then you'll have two hours free time, and then we'll be doing an activity."

Xxx

"I can't believe you're not in the same room as us!" Erin exclaimed, and Tee nodded, smiling slightly. There was sitting in Erin's room, it was after lunch (which had been rather unexciting) and the room was empty apart from them; Faith and Jemima had gone exploring, and if Erin and Tee hung out of the window then they would be able to see Ari sat on top of a picnic table talking rapidly into Robbie's mobile.

A knock on the door echoed throughout the tiny room, furnished only with two bunk beds, a table and a wardrobe.

"Who is it?" Erin yelled,

"it's me," Rick called back, "and I'm with Frank and Johnny."

"Ok," Erin replied, as Tee jumped up and let the three boys in.

"So how's sharing with Arietta?" Johnny asked, laughing.

"Well. I reckon she's ignoring me, since even when she's talking to me she doesn't look at me. And she hasn't been here since lunch, and when we got the room she just walked in, dumped her bag and walked out again."

"She's out of line," Rick declared, slinging his arm around his girlfriend, "she ought to treat you with respect."

"Maybe you should try and get on," Frank suggested, and Erin sighed with exasperation.

"I do try," Erin replied, "but she shuts me out, and I try and support her, but she frustrates me so badly that I end up snapping. Then she snaps back, and most of the time it reflects badly on me, not her," Erin complained.

"Shutting you out is her loss, not yours," Rick comforted her.

"Yeah, and you are undoubtedly a better friend than her," Tee commented, looking towards her brother. "I doubt Ari would have come looking for me if I disappeared..."

Johnny said nothing, not because he agreed but rather he felt it would be far more likely that Jem would find Tee, before his sister had made it more than ten minutes away. Meaning that Ari – or Erin – would not be looking for Tee because it wouldn't even be needed in the first place.

"Well I reckon that Ari was homeless at one point," Frank commented.

"Oh yeah..." Rick said, remembering, "she said that she used to live under a bridge crossing the Thames."

"So she was homeless... how does that explain how she acts?" Erin questioned.

"Well, when I ran away," Tee started, "it was pretty horrible, some of the people I met," she shuddered, and Johnny's fist clenched.

"I just don't understand why she feels that she can't open up to us," Erin stated, as the door opened up. "Um... Ari. Hi... um... hi... we were talking about..."

"me," Arietta interrupted the brunette, "you want to know about my past," she stated, tone accusing.

"I just want us to get along," Erin replied, just as Robbie poked his head round the door.

"Better?" He questioned, and Ari nodded, handing him his phone. "Have you charged your phone yet?"

"Not yet," she replied, "I'll do it now." She grabbed her bag, whipping out her phone and charger, and plugged it in.

Robbie stood in the corner of the room, eyes fixed on his best friend. "Do you want to explore now?" He questioned, are Ari nodded.

"Yep, let's go!"

The two friends headed out of the room, leaving the others to small talk. A couple of minutes later Erin noticed Johnny's eyes fixed on the phone, on the table. Johnny and Erin's eyes met; their thoughts the same.

"She doesn't have a password," Johnny said, indicating towards the phone.

There was silence for a moment.

"I can't believe you Johnny!" Tee exclaimed, "you can't invade her privacy like that."

"Why not?" Erin questioned, "I have to share with her. I have a right to know whether she'll try and murder me in my sleep."

"Ari's not a murderer," Tee stated, laughing nervously, as if unsure.

"Well we never knew that Sam went to juvie," Rick pointed out, "how do we know Ari isn't the same?"

"Well I'm not involved in this," Frank said, standing up, and Tee echoed his movement.

"Neither am I," she told them, and the two teens left the room together.

Johnny got to his feet and picked up the phone, unlocking it.

"Give it," Erin commanded, and Johnny passed it to her. "So texts first," she stated. "Sam, Jack, Robbie and Jemima are her recent contacts..."  
"Sam," Johnny told her immediately.

Erin began scrolling through the texts, "song lyrics, song lyrics," she muttered, "Shine?" She paused, "that's Sam's sister, right?"

"Yeah," Johnny confirmed,s

"Symphony?" She read,

"Ari's sister," he said, "she was older, I reckon she died a few years back."

Erin stared silently at the screen.

"Erin, what is it?" Rick asked,

"Mia," Erin whispered.

Xxx

"Hey," Ari greeted, as she saw Tee and Frank approaching them, the two teenagers looked terrified.

"What's happened?" Robbie asked, Tee and Frank exchanged a look.

"Erin and Johnny," Tee started, looking to Frank, who nodded, urging her to continue. "They've got Ari's phone."

Arietta froze, "Ari," Robbie whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder. She unfroze and burst into a sprint, running at full speed down the corridor and a second later Robbie was following in pursuit.

Ari didn't bother knocking she just sprinted into the room, and Erin dropped the phone in shock.

"How dare you!" Ari shouted, "how dare you invade my privacy like that?!"

"Who's Mia?" Erin asked, and Arietta was still for a moment, before her face crumpled before beginning to sob.

"Get out!" Robbie told them, voice low but authoritative.

Erin, Rick and Johnny scampered, "do you want me to call Sam?" Robbie asked, Ari shook her head, fingers clutching to his shirt and he pulled her into a hug, while her body was wracked with sobs.

Xxx

"Don't you dare look at me like that," Johnny snapped, in a shouted whisper, "you've done so much worse to Arietta, to everyone, and know you are preaching to me about looking through a couple of texts!"

"I looked at the files to help people, not to hurt people," Jem hissed back.

The two teens were occupying a small area of the patio, nearest to the entrance to the woods. So their fight wouldn't be overheard.

"We needed to know about Ari, we know next to nothing about her," Johnny told her.

"It's not your place to intrude on a private conversation," Jemima replied, "I went through her file. Read what a social worker would read, not the messages she sends to the living person that she trusts the most. I read for facts, you read for the truth."

"How is it any different?! Facts and truth are the same thing... You're nothing but a hypocrite. Claiming to be above what we are doing, about putting people first. You don't. You put yourself first. You closed a school for your benefit, and students like Faith suffered because of it. You read all our files without our permission, and you think you can get away with that."

"I can. Freedom comes at the cost of silence. _My _freedom, _your _silence. Which could either be voluntary or forced, your choice."

"Are you threatening me?!" Johnny asked incredulously.

"Well, let's see. If you don't say anything about what I have done, then I won't tell Mike about you invading Arietta's privacy."  
"You'll get in worse trouble," he replied.

"My Foster Mum's a highly regarded lawyer, and I may only be fourteen but I have contacts, like I have an Uncle, my Dad's brother, who pretty much runs the British government. Admittedly he doesn't know I exist, but I am sure that could be easily changed. And even without him I have much more power than the average adult should possess, but the average adult is practically a _goldfish _in my opinion, thus making the comparison to me rather unfair and unbalanced."

"Why are you putting Arietta before me?" Johnny questioned, since it seemed like the only question he knew how to ask. He was in turmoil, his girlfriend, someone he trusted, had turned into someone very different and he didn't know how to act, or what to do.

"Ari's my friend, as is Jack. And don't you think I didn't notice your discomfort with my being around him, and I'll warn you once. Do not try and cage me, ever. Around other men, around other women, at all. I am not your possession and you can not tell me who I can, and can not see."  
"I never said anything," Johnny replied,

"but you thought it, and if this is going to work between us, and I'm becoming more and more certain that it won't, then you are going to have to appreciate that I am not going to change, so stop wishing that I will do. If you dislike who I really am that much you can break up with me." 

Johnny was silent, "who are you?" He asked finally, "I keep thinking that I finally know you, then you rip off another layer, and become someone else."

"Johnny," her voice softened, and her hand went to his jaw, turning his head to look at her. "I'm going to say nothing, and I'm not going to hurt you, but I want you to know there is nothing to gain if you do tell people. Nothing." She stroked her cheek, and kissed him quickly. "Are we clear?"

He nodded his head, walking away from Jemima, feeling numb.

First Kitty, then Jemima. Two girls he thought he knew but I had turned against him as he had gotten closer.

Kitty had turned on him when he was at his most vulnerable, almost pushing him over the edge with her backstabbing.

He thought Jemima was better, that she was too clever, too mature, too unusual to sink to that level, but she had taken it to a whole new level: threats to keep him quiet, to manipulate him into doing what she wanted. She was clever, and she knew it, and she knew that she could use her knowledge to force him into whatever situation she wanted.

He wondered if she acted this way with Arietta? With Jack? If not, why not? Had they never challenged her? Would she threaten them if they did?

Many people have empty threats, but Johnny knew immediately that hers weren't. Even though she had never mentioned her Dad, he didn't doubt her claims about the Uncle. He didn't doubt Melanie's power either, perhaps making Jemima more threatening.

True they were both care kids. But she was the care kid with an army behind her, and a huge future in front of her. He had Tee, and he thought he had her but now he wasn't so sure... and his dreams of the army were the only thing he had ahead of him.

When they met later, in the foyer for their activity, Jem stood huddled with Arietta and Robbie, talking in hushed tones, while Tee and Frank stood in a group separate, and Erin and Rick were together.

"Johnny," Jemima called beckoning him over, he agreed, afraid to disagree. She looked to Ari, "can you tell Erin and Rick that we won't say anything about earlier, but if _they," _she looked rather pointedly at him, to show that she was sure that he wouldn't do anything, "do anything else. Then I will come down harder on them than a tonne of bricks. Thank you." She said with dismissal, and he quickly relayed the message to Erin and Rick.

"What activity are we doing Mike?" Faith questioned, as he appeared in the foyer.

"We are going to do Go Ape!" Mike told them, which was met with cheers.

"In a miniskirt?" Ari asked, looking down at skirt, as if she had been forced to wear it, rather than picking it out herself.

"Well you choose to wear skirt, so you will have to do it in a skirt," Mike told her,

"I'll be flashing everyone," Ari stated, "at least I didn't go commando today. Not that I go commando... ever," she added, in reassurance.

"Ok, brilliant," Mike said, "come on everyone, we are meant to be starting Go Ape in 10 minutes, it's only a short walk."

Xxx

Mike headed off to a smaller course with the younger ones, leaving May Li with the older ones.

"I'm sorry Erin," May Li apologised, "we should have realised that you wouldn't be able to take part."

"It's fine," she lied,

"I can sit with you," Rick offered, even though she knew he was itching to have a go at the course.

"I'll be fine," Erin told him, "you should do it."

"Thanks," he grinned at his girlfriend.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Jemima apologised, examining his face, wondering whether he was going to buy her apology. "I shouldn't have said what I did. I am just tired, and I had a banging headache, and Arietta was upset, and that upset me."

It wasn't exactly lies. She was tired. Though by tired she really meant bored by lack of mental stimulation, but it was practically the same thing, and it was _nearly _equivalent to a banging headache, in fact it was so similar that it was almost the polar opposite.

The last part was 83% true. Ari was very upset, but Jemima wasn't upset; she was pissed off, but most people would claim that the anger came primarily for upset on Ari's behalf, thus making it nearly completely true.

"I promise I won't act like that again," she told him, looking him in the eye, hoping that he wouldn't see that she would happily do it again in a second.

"Ok," he replied, he looked to the floor, "I guess we were both out of line."

"Yeah," she agreed, she smiled at him, "are we ok?"

He smiled, and nodded, "yeah."

Xxx

Quickly Go Ape became a competition between Johnny and Bailey, choosing the most difficult courses, all in the attempt to out do each other.

Jemima completely ignored everyone else and was steaming ahead, and was leaving Bailey and Johnny extremely confused about how, and when, Jemima had overtaken them. To the point that Bailey was shouting at her for cheating.

Tee and Frank were taking on the course at a steady pace, while May Li was getting a little too competitive against Tyler, Jody and Rick.

Ari and Robbie were another matter.

They were clinging to each other, and the tree that there platform was on.

"You'll be ok," Faith shouted across from the other side, "it's very safe, you'll be fine."

"No, it's not!" Robbie yelled back,

"do you want to kill us?!" Ari demanded.

"I hate heights," Robbie stated,

"I would have never guessed," Faith replied dryly, "look," she sighed, seeing the look Robbie was shooting her. "The quicker you get going, the quicker you'll be on the ground."

"Ok," Ari sighed, giving in, "I'll come across..."  
"and leave me?!" Robbie exclaimed.

"Ok, you go first," she snapped, and she stood back as Robbie slowly clipped himself onto the obstacle and began to make his way across.

Xxx

By the time they ended the first section of the course, by crashing ceremoniously into the wood chippings at the foot of the zipwire.

Robbie was raring to go, while Ari was shaking.

"Are you ok?" The instructor asked her,

"I hate it," Ari replied, "the harness hurts, I'm afraid of heights and I'm flashing at everyone on the ground." She paused, looking to May Li, "we'll be here till next week if I have to complete the course."

"If you want to sit out..." May Li began,

"yes," she replied immediately, "thank you" she was already removing her harness.

It was only when the others had started the next section of the course that Ari realised that she would have to spend the remainder of the time with Erin.

Xxx

Arietta didn't take the seat next to Erin, instead she walked straight past and stopped about 5 metres from the bench, where she crouched down, afraid to sit and muddy her skirt.

Her back was to Erin and the other girl could see that she was moving her arms, but she couldn't work out what she was doing.

After five minutes Erin's curiosity got the better of her, and she approached the other girl to see that Ari was piercing leaves with twigs, and the pressing the sticks into the ground.

"What are you doing?" She asked, and the other girl didn't look up when she replied.

"I'm making ant umbrellas," she paused, "or parasols. I haven't decided yet, but it'll probably be umbrellas because this is England."

Erin didn't reply, but continued watching Ari make the "umbrellas".

"I'm sorry about earlier," Erin apologised,

"it's alright," Ari told her, "I didn't like you anyway."

Erin was stunned at Ari's bluntness, how the Chinese girl didn't even bother to conceal her dislike for her.

"Is that why you don't look at me?" Erin asked, Ari was silent. "Even when you're talking to me you don't look at me."

Arietta didn't look at the brunette, instead focusing on the leaves and sticks, while humming some Mozart.

"So..." Erin sat down, not minding the dirt, "can I help?" She gestured towards the "umbrellas".

"If you want," Ari replied, voice cold.

There were shouts for the trees above them, laughter, jokes and they sat in silence listening. Ari being particularly attentive, while Erin tried to work out how she was going to approach the conversation. How she was going to get the answers to her questions?

"Ari," she said, and the older girl didn't acknowledge her, "Ari," she repeated, "Ari."

"Stop bleating my name, you're not a sheep," Ari snapped.  
"Sorry," the Chinese girl shrugged.

Erin sat silently; how could she say say it? How could she...

"Who's Mia?" She gasped, not meaning to say the words, throwing her hands over her mouth.

"You went through my phone, and expect me to give you answers about what you found," Ari stated incredulously.

"I..." Erin stopped, ducking her head away, "sorry... I just don't understand you. How you act. Who you are. Anything. And I don't want us to fight."

"So leave me alone," the other girl snapped, pushing the twigs into the ground with particular force, "then we won't fight any more. They'll be nothing to fight about." She stood up, brushing the dirt from her hands before walking away.

Xxx

Erin did just that for the remainder of the day, she kept her distance and allowed Ari's eyes to gloss over her as they scanned the room, to not look at her when they ate dinner at the same table.

It was only at bed time that she began to communicate again.

"Ari, the bathroom's free," Erin told her,

"do you need water for them?" Faith asked the Chinese girl, who was taking some form of medication.

"No, I have to have the everyday, I'm used to it," Ari replied, beginning to swallow the tablets, which Erin noticed the variety of them, at least 3 different types of medication.

"What are they for?"

"Insomnia," Ari stated,

"you need 3 different kinds of tablets to treat insomnia?" She questioned, the other girl said nothing, Just swallowed the medicine and put her headphones in.

"Aren't you going to the bathroom?" Erin questioned, looking to Faith and Jem,

"turn the light out and she'll go in her own time," Jem wrote in her notebook before showing the other girls.

Sure enough after a couple of minutes they heard Ari get down from her top bunk, and head into the bathroom, before turning the key in the lock.

Erin lay there waiting, about twenty minutes later the door unlocked and Ari padded out, and climbed up onto her bed. The brunette smiled, settling down, glad to have avoided drama that night.

Xxx

She threw her things into a rucksack, she had told them that she was staying at her friend's house. She knew they wouldn't check.

She checked for her train tickets, bought with pocket money and Christmas money. There were still there in her bag: a return ticket to Newcastle.

Xxx

"Eurgh," Erin groaned, "stop it son." Her baby paid no attention and continued kicking her bladder, she swung her legs out of the bed slowly, and pulling herself to her feet. "Eurgh," she repeated, feeling her way over to the bathroom, not wanting to turn on the lights and disturb her room mates.

Her hand found the door knob and she turned it but the door wouldn't open, it was locked. Someone else was in there.

She looked to the beds: Faith, Jemima, Arietta... was missing.

She knocked on the door quietly, "Ari," she hissed, jiggling up and down, "I need the toilet can you please hurry up."

She was met with no response and knocked again harder.

"What?" Faith mumbled, waking up from the noise.

"Is the key in the lock?" Jemima asked, and Erin flicked on the light, seeing Jem still lying down, and she looked asleep, but sounded normal. Erin is examined the lock.

"Yes," she replied, and the Welsh girl jumped to her feet, "why?"

"Just thinking ahead," she stated, knocking on the door, "Ari, are you ok?"

When she was met with no response, Jem went over to the tiny wardrobe and pulled out a metal coat hanger, straightening out the end. She quickly went over to the door and used it to push out the key from the other side, which hit the floor with a resounding thud.

"Ari?" Faith asked, no response.

Jem was already ready, on her knees, ear against the lock, with a hair grip in her hand.

"Are you picking the lock?" Erin asked, and Jem didn't reply just sent her a look.

"Should I get Mike?" Faith questioned, "or May Li?" and Jemima shook her head.

"If Ari has just fallen asleep in there, then there is no point. We'll get one of them if we need one of them."

She returned to her work, and a couple of seconds later the lock clicked. Faith stepped towards the door, Jem stopped her.

"I'll go and see," the Welsh girl stated,

"what if she's dead?" Erin asked softly.

"Ari won't have committed suicide," Jemima told her honesty, "and if she is dead then it will have been an accident, but she isn't."

"Shouldn't I check?" Faith asked, "I am the oldest."

"Have you ever seen a dead person before?" The youngest girl asked,

"no," Faith replied.

"Let's keep it that way."

Jemima entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her. Immediately she saw Arietta lying on the floor, but then realised that the older girl was breathing.

She quickly walked over to Ari, "Ari," she whispered, crouching down next to her, "Ari," she repeated, this time louder. Her hand went to Arietta's wrist and she took her pulse; normal. Jem let out a sigh of relief, Ari was just asleep.

Not that she would be for much longer.

"Ari," she repeated,

"muh," Ari mumbled, "sleep mmm."

"No Arietta, Erin needs the bathroom," Jemima told her.

"Erin... mmm... fuck off," well that's what Jem presumed that she was saying, though it came out more like _fuff uff_.

"Sorry, can't do that," she stated, "you have to move Arietta."

"Wait..." Ari had started to wake up, "I..." she sat up, looking at the room, "I locked the door."

"Yeah," Jem agreed, "I picked the lock, Erin needs the toilet."

"Well I need to sleep," the Chinese girl stated,

"in your bed," Jem replied, pulling Ari to her feet, "come on."

"But..." Ari protested, seeing her face in the mirror: pale, scarred, eyes sunken, dark circles round her eyes. The stuff she hid under layers and layers of makeup, the reason she spent a painstaking amount of time on every morning just so no one would see.

"Is Ari ok?" Faith called through the door, voice filled with panic.

"She's fine," Jem reassured her, "she had just fallen asleep."

"Was everyone worried?" Ari asked, looking slightly guilty.

"Erin thought you were dead," she replied.

"Oops,"

"yeah."

"That's awkward,"

"just a little," Jem agreed. "Come on," Ari ducked her head, so her hair fell across her face before walking into the room, not meeting anyone's eye, while Erin just sprinted into the bathroom.

"Ari, are you ok?" Faith asked, and Ari looked at the older girl, hair falling off her face while Faith's breath caught, eyes widening before having the courtesy to look away.

"Hence why make up takes so long," she replied, before clambering onto her top bunk and burying her face in the pillow, and eventually (along with the others) falling asleep.

Xxx

By the time Erin and Faith awoke Ari was already back in the bathroom, painstakingly applying her makeup.

Jemima had had a shower, though she wouldn't reveal whether she had had a shower at 4:30, or whether she had used someone else's shower, or whether she had used someone else's shower at 4:30 in the morning.

She was already dressed, and she was allowing her hair to dry naturally while Erin and Faith gathered their things for their own turn in the bathroom.

"Jem," Faith started, and the Welsh girl looked up from the book she was reading; something heavy looking and French. "Last night, when you asked me if I had seen a dead person last night, and you said let's keep it that way," she paused. "Have you seen a..." She bit her lip, not wanting to finish her sentence.

"A dead body?" Jem completed. "Yes."  
"Who?" Erin questioned,

"my Mum, two days after my ninth birthday," she replied, matter-of-factly.

"Oh my god!" Faith exclaimed inadvertently,

"I am so sorry," Erin apologised.

"Why?" Jemima asked, and at this point the bathroom door opened and Ari walked out, make up immaculate like always.

"It's all yours," she stated, looking at Faith.

"Actually Erin was going next," Faith replied.

"Right... cool... lovely," Ari responded, staring at the floor, walking past Erin, shoulders brushing.

"You could at least have the decency to look at me!" Erin snapped, "especially after what you put us through last night."

"Sorry I fell asleep in the bathroom," Ari replied, sarcasm dripping from her voice,"sorry for causing _you_ so much inconvenience."

"It wasn't inconvenience! We were scared! Not I. We." She exhaled loudly, "plus being scared isn't healthy for the baby!"

Baby.

Ari snapped.

"I don't care! I don't care about your fucking baby! Or you! Or your life! Or what you think! God I..."

"No," Erin declared, "don't you dare. Don't you dare talk to me like that!"

"Why not?" She questioned, volume increasing and increasing, "I just want you to leave me alone, it's not a huge request. I'm not asking for the world..."

"You are a fucking liberty..." Erin's voice raised to a shout.

"Stop it!" Faith yelled at the two girls, "be quiet."

The two girls sighed, and Ari glanced at Jem who seemed to be a little disappointed that the fight hadn't escalated further. There was a sudden, harsh knock at the door.

"Open this door!" Mike growled,

"happy 4th of April," Jemima muttered.

"Dì sìsì yuè," Ari whispered, eyes growing wide.

"What?" Faith asked,

"it's an unlucky day for the Chinese," Jem explained,

"open the door," Mike repeated, and Faith quickly obeyed.

"I trusted you two to act maturely," he snapped looking between Erin and Ari, "and you have probably succeeded in waking everybody up. We are not the only guests here, have some respect."

Arietta didn't meet his eye, instead choosing to nibble at her thumb skin, not really paying attention. Dì sìsì yuè; the fourth of April; the unluckiest day of the year. She knew that superstitions were probably rubbish, well she wanted to believe that, but... she didn't.

"What happened?" Mike asked, breaking the Chinese girl out of her trance.

"Well..." Faith started, and Ari and Erin immediately began talking, trying to get their side of their story across, but their voice getting lost in the cacophony.

"Enough!" Mike shouted, "We are meant to be on holiday, we are meant to be having a good time."

"Well blame Ari, not me," Erin replied.

"Right. I've had enough!" Mike told the teens, "you two," he pointed at Ari and Erin, "are grounded."

Ari tilted her head, considering for a moment, "but I'm already grounded."

"You two are not doing your activities today," he told them, "you'll be staying here, and," he picked up Ari and Erin's phones from the table. "I'll be looking after these."

Immediately the two girls began protesting the unfairness, Mike didn't seem at all fazed and left the room.

Arietta sank down onto her bed, beginning to believe in the superstitions.

The fourth of April was the unluckiest day of the year, and she was having to spend all day with Erin; she couldn't think of anything less appealing.

Xxx

The morning passed quickly, since their only activity: rock climbing, was in the afternoon.

Lunch was fairly average, and the group left all too soon for Ari, meaning that she and Erin were stuck in their room in awkward silence.

Erin was staring out of the window into the forest that the group has walked into, looking for the climbing walls.

"I actually wanted to do climbing," Ari moaned, "I've never done it before..."

"Oh yeah. Blame me. Cos I totally wanted to spend my afternoon with you," Erin snapped, rubbing her back. "You've done nothing but ruin this holiday for me so far. And to go with that I need the toilet all the time, my back aches, and walking is really hard."

"Poor you," Arietta replied staring at the ceiling, voice cold, and lacking completely in sympathy.

"Trying to understand wouldn't kill you," and Ari just rolled her eyes.

Erin stiffened. "I've fucking had it with you," she shouted, grabbing her trainers from under her bed and pulling them on, "I'm outta here."

Ari froze. "No Erin, you can't..." she knew she shouldn't care, but her small part of logic knew that she couldn't let a 7 and a half month pregnant teenager go wandering off in the Lake District.

"Arietta, leave me alone." Erin pushed past her, and Ari quickly pulled on her own shoes before following Erin in pursuit.

Erin made her way into the forest, and Arietta followed.

"Where are you going?" Ari asked,

"fuck off Ari," she replied.

"Do you know where the rock climbing is?" She questioned, and Erin just carried on walking, and there was nothing Ari could do but follow.

Xxx

It was twenty minutes later that Erin stopped, she had rushed ahead and by the time Ari had caught up with her, the brunette was leaning against a tree. Desperately trying to steady her breathing, but eyes and fists clenched shut, trying to survive the pain.

It passed as quickly as it came, and Erin straightened up.

"I'm fine," she told Ari, upon seeing her worried eyes, that were meeting hers for the first time in forever. "Just a bit of cramp,"

"it looked like a bit more than cramp," Ari replied, while Erin rubbed her stomach.

"He's lower than before," she commented, before hissing in pain. "Fuck, fuck, shit, crap, fuck," she muttered in quick succession, she doubled over.

"How long has this been going on for?" Arietta asked,

"my back was aching earlier, but there wasn't pain like this," Erin replied.

Ari took a deep breath, winded as thoughts and memories clouded her mind.

"Come on," she told Erin, "we've got to keep moving."

"But we're lost," Erin replied, saying aloud what they both already knew.

"Well if we keep walking we'll have to find something eventually, we might find a road and then we could either find out how to get back, or thumb a lift or..."

"I'm very very very pregnant!" Erin snapped, "we are not thumbing a lift."

"Or get them to call an ambulance instead," Ari added.

Erin stopped, confused. "What? Why do we need an ambulance?"

"Well I reckon you're experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions," Ari told her.

"What?" She repeated,

"the first stage of labour," she elaborated. "Now that doesn't mean that the baby is necessarily coming, but..."

"The Doctor said if I was experiencing them then I needed to get into hospital, because I'm so young," Erin finished, panic setting into her voice.

"Precisely," Ari stated, feeling incredibly (and surprisingly) level headed, "plus just say we don't get a move on, and everything goes fast, then who's to say that you won't end giving birth here. And I doubt you want someone who is averaging an E in science to be your midwife."

Erin laughed, but then the reality hit them;

They were lost in a forest, in the Lake District.

They were sworn enemies, and Ari could just about keep herself level headed through cramps and pain and screaming, but she knew the second that there was blood that she would be gone; back to the cell; back to that day 15 months beforehand where Mia had been born and died, but in the opposite order.

Today was the 4th of April, Dì sìsì yuè.

A day unlucky, because of how the number four, in Chinese, sounded like the word for death and this wasn't only the 4th, it was the 4th of the 4th.

A bad day to be trapped in the woods, a bad day to have your phone taken off you, a bad day to give birth...

It was the day of death, and for Ari, this was definitely the unluckiest day of the year.

**Please review xxx**


	63. New Family

**Chapter 63**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing, and as for the Sherlock references... hmm... well it won't come up in this story, but I definitely reckon Jem is a Holmes.**

**And happy (very) belated birthday to Linneagb**

**This is the chapter where I reach 200K, and the drama.**

Ari had no idea how long they had been walking, they had to keep stopping for Erin when the contractions hit, at which point Arietta was surprised by the younger girl's rather impressive and inventive swearing.

"Do you think they'll have realised we've gone?" Erin asked, as they walked.

"I don't know," Ari replied, "I'm not sure how long they were rock climbing for."

"How big is this forest?" Erin moaned, she sighed, "why did we leave in the first place? The room wasn't _that _bad, and at least we could have gotten help."

"Well believe it or not I didn't suggest this forest hike, I just followed you because you wouldn't listen," Ari stated.

Erin shook her head, "no. That's not what happened..."

"Yeah, it is."

"No, it's not."

"Yes,"

"no it was... argh... fuck, shit, crap," Erin doubled over while Ari rubbed her back, providing the little relief that she could.

"What happens when it gets dark?" Erin asked, a few minutes later when they were walking again, and the contraction had passed.

"We'll carry on walking," Ari replied, "if we carry on walking in a straight line then we'll exit this wood at some point."

"What if we don't?"

"This wood has to end somewhere."

At least that's what Ari hoped.

Xxx

She had never been to Newcastle before, but then again she had never been further North than her home in Oxford before. She was a little surprised she had been there for a whole two hours and she had yet to find someone shouting about their hatred of Margaret Thatcher.

She had spent the time wandering around, trying to get her bearings but not doing very well. She had given up in favour of lunch, and was pleasantly surprised at how lunch was cheaper than she was expected, even if it was just chips, which she ordered with a side of gravy because apparently that was something that was done in the North.

At this point she struck up conversation with some unusually friendly people, who kept mentioning how "posh" she was, well, rather sounded. It felt a little odd, talking to strangers, when there was no purpose to the conversation, but she muddled her way through.

After lunch she had returned to her mission, she tried to flag a taxi but found herself being ignored. So, rather reluctantly, she set off on her walk, trying to find Elmtree House.

After twenty minutes she put her pride (and Southern attributes) aside, and asked a stranger directions. They pointed her in the right direction, and she was off.

After this she found it easily, or instead she found what she wasn't looking for: a demolition sight.

"Excuse me," she called over the safety barrier, attracting some of the worker's attentions.

"Alright love," one of them greeted, walking over.

"Lovely thank you," she replied, "is this Elmtree House?"

"Yeah, but it closed down, like," he told her.

"Oh, ok... thanks."

She turned away, shoulders drooping in disappointment, she had come halfway up the UK to discover that Elmtree House was closed.

She sat down in a nearby park, and pulled the photo out of her bag.

She had studied the photo so hard that she could swear that the picture was engraved into her brain, the picture had been taken a couple of months ago, in September, at the beginning of the school year. It was perfectly awkward, just like any school photo was expected to be. She had looked at the photo multiples times up and on the train, trying to memorise everything.

She needed to find the girl in the photo, she was her only family she knew, and she needed the answers that had hung unanswered over her head, like dark rain clouds, for her whole life.

She was meant to have been at Elmtree House, but that was closed, so where was she now?

Where was her sister?

Xxx

"Do you think Erin and Arietta will be ok?" Mike wondered out loud,

"come on Mike," Jody begged,

"yes please," Harry added, and everyone joined in.

"They'll be fine," May Li finally said,

"ok," Mike gave in. "We can do one more hour of rock climbing, since it's free," and all the kids cheered, glad they were getting another turn.

"You know you could call them, just to check they're ok," May Li said, as all the kids had dashed off.

"I confiscated their phones," Mike reminded her,

"well... it's only an hour," May Li replied, she paused for a moment, looking up at the wall.

"Which pair want to go first?" The instructor asked, and May Li smirked.

"We do!" She shouted, pointing to her and Mike.

"No, no, no, no." He replied,

"race you to the top," she challenged,

"oh no you won't," Mike replied, getting into position.

Xxx

"Come on, we've got to keep going," Ari commanded, while Erin just sat slumped on the floor.

"I'm exhausted," Erin replied, "I keep having contractions plus I'm carrying around this giant lump." She indicated towards her stomach, Ari didn't look. She was just about able to look Erin in the face, but looking at her bump was another matter.

"We can stop when we find a road, or exit the woods," Ari attempted to compromise.

"Five minutes," Erin begged,

"Erin the longer we stop, the more likely it is that I'll be delivering your baby," she pointed out, "and that is probably the worst thing that could happen for both you and your baby. While I have..." she paused, taking a deep breath, "past _experience _with birth, I am not formally qualified."

"What happened last time?" Erin asked.

Arietta froze. "The worst thing that could have happened."

"The mum and baby died," Erin replied, eyes wide and Ari looked at her for a moment, before snorting incredulously.

"No. The baby died. The mum survived," she stated, "I thought that would be obvious."

"But, how is that worse? At least the mum survived..."

Ari paused.

"If your baby died you would have to live with that for the rest of your life. You survived, and your baby didn't. A mother should always put their children first, but you allowed your child to die. You will spend the rest of your life wishing that you could have saved your baby, and it's even worse when that's the only child you can ever have. That was your one chance and mucked it up, and now you have to spend the rest of your life feeling choked every time you see a pregnant woman, a baby, a family. Choked with loss, and regret, and jealousy because they are getting what you will never get. Ever. Your chest feels tight, and it's hard to breath, and very quickly everything gets too much and you just retreat back into your head, because it's nicer there, nothing is real and you still have a baby..."

Arietta froze, "well... that's what I heard," she tried to shrug the conversation off, to make Erin forget what she had said, to make...

"Is that why you couldn't look at me?" Erin asked, as she began to piece things together. "You lost your baby."

Ari stood up, "come on," she said, trying to signal that the conversation was over.

"Was that Mia?" Erin questioned, and Ari didn't look at her. "Sorry," she apologised, "I'm sorry for being a bitch."

"There is a time and a place Erin," Arietta replied. "Today is not that day. I might explain... one day, but not today. So don't badger me for the truth, because today you need me. You need me to look after you, and once I start sinking into the past then you can sign my usefulness off for the rest of the day."

"Ok," the younger girl said, she paused and stood up beginning to walk with Ari. "You know," Erin started, looking to Ari who had stopped walking.

"Mia Hope Rosenberg always sounded better than Mia Hope Walker-Barber."

"I know," Ari said, smiling slightly, "I chose it."

"Well, you would do... she was your daughter."

"I was talking about my surname," Arietta grinned, walking onwards.

"What?"

Xxx

"I let you win," Mike told a grinning May Li as they made their way back to the hostel,

"sure, sure," she replied.

"I hope Erin is ok," Rick said to Faith, "being stressed isn't good for the baby, and Ari always really upsets her."

"I hope they are both fine," Faith replied.

"They'll be fine," Mike told them.

They began climbing the stairs, and came out into their corridor, and Faith opened the door to the room.

"Erin, hi," Rick called walking into the room, and Mike, Faith, Jemima, and May Li followed them in.

"Where are they?" Mike asked, sounding panicked.

"In the bathroom?" Faith suggested,

"together?" Jemima replied incredulously.

"They might have gone to the games room," May Li told them, "or gone into the garden."

"I'll check the games room," Rick sprinted off,

"Faith and Jem check the garden," Mike commanded, while he headed off to reception to ask some questions.

"Excuse me," he said to the receptionist, "have you seen two girls, 14 and 15. One with brown hair, about this high," he gestured, "and a Chinese girl, this tall."

The receptionist thought for a moment, "oh yeah, around two. About twenty minutes after your group went to your activity."

Mike looked to the clock, it showed that it was now half four. They had disappeared two and a half hours ago.

"Thank you very much," he replied, turning away.

"What is it?" May Li asked, running up to him.

"They left about two."

"Did they see where they were going?" She turned to the receptionist,

"I don't know," she replied, "I could ask around."

"Please," Mike begged.

Xxx

"Erin and Ari are missing!" Tee exclaimed,

"according to some people round the site they saw them go into the woods around two," Mike told them.

"2:03:57," Jem corrected, looking up from her notebook, "the entered the woods in the same place that we did, when we were going to rock climbing."

"How did you find that out?" Mike asked.

"Erin was leading the duo," the Welsh girl continued, "my bet is that she was trying to get to the rock climbing, but they obviously strayed from the path at some point. The chances are that they are still in the woods since the woods are about 6 miles wide. If you were walking at a good pace of 15 minutes a mile, then it would take an hour and a half, but Erin is pregnant so they wouldn't be able to walk at anywhere near that speed."

"So what does that mean?" Rick questioned,

"that depends on whether they have turned around, and tried to come back. Or whether they have decided to carry on walking straight through the woods. Or they could be lost and just walking round and round in circles. I don't know, I'm not a psychic," Jem told them.

"What if Erin lays her egg?" Mo asked, sounding panicked, "and the baby hatches!"

"Mike, Erin could be hurt," Rick cried, the fear spreading quickly between them, "what if the baby is coming?"

"We really ought to call the police, see if they can get a helicopter to search for them," Mike announced, "after all, this is an emergency."

"They might be back in a couple of minutes though," May Li replied, "we ought to give them a bit more time."

The kids began to protest.

"5," Mike told them, "if they are not back by then, then we'll call the Police."

Xxx

"Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the wood yet? Are we out of the woods?" Erin half sung, as the carried on walking.

"I didn't know you like Taylor Swift," Ari replied.

"I don't," Erin stated.

"Well you can leave, because Taylor is the bae," the Chinese girl told her.

"What about Sam?" Erin questioned,

"Sam's..." Ari paused, smiling, "Sam's the wife. Taylor's the bae. Robbie is my bro, and Jem is my bitch."

"Do you think anyone has ever called Jemima _their bitch_ before?" Erin wondered out loud.

"Yes," Ari told her,

"really?!" Erin exclaimed,

"we are out of the woods!" Arietta replied, running ahead into a field.

"Finally," Erin stated, before doubling over, "fuck. Fuck. Fuck."

"They are getting longer," Ari stated after it was over,

"they are getting closer together," Erin added, "what does that mean?"

"Um..." Ari didn't reply, "come on," she started leading the way.

"Is that a village?" Erin asked, and Ari looked up, observing a village in the distance.

"It's got to be about 3 miles away," the Chinese girl replied, "but..." her eyes lit up, "that probably means that there is a road nearby."

"Come on," Erin called, walking ahead.

Xxx

"I hope Ari's ok," Robbie stated, as Jem was writing in her notebook, "being around Erin really upsets her, and she hates the countryside."

"Well she put on her most sturdy shoes," Jemima replied, "that's a plus, so she probably won't have broken her ankle."

"But mentally..." Robbie pointed out,

"that's up to Ari."

"I hope she's ok," he said,

"so do I," the Welsh girl replied, "but according to my calculations they may have reached the end of the forest, so that will make it easier for them to contact us."

Xxx

"Where are the cars?" Ari asked, looking confused at the road, as if it had somehow sprouted legs and turned green.

"It's a country lane, they're not normally that busy," Erin stated, just as a car whizzed past them.

"Excuse me!" Arietta shouted, waving at the retreating car.

"Ari, let's keep walking," Erin said, hand on her stomach wincing slightly.

"Ok," they turned a corner, and Ari straightened up. Like a dog noticing a squirrel. "POSTBOX!"

"This is not going to help us,"

"yes it will," the Chinese girl sprinted off, and embraced the red structure, while Erin approached it slowly before sitting down on the grassy verge next to it.

"How is this helpful?" Erin questioned, and Ari pulled away from the structure, looking the postbox up and down. Then her eyes light up.

"This postbox hasn't been emptied for the day," she explained, "and..." she looked back at the white notice, "this postbox is emptied at 4:50. So that must be soon..."

"So are you saying we wait for the postman to come?"

"Yes!" Ari exclaimed.

Xxx

The post van chugged over the hill, and down the road, and Ari and Erin leapt to their feet, Ari began waving her arms madly.

The post van pulled up, "afternoon ladies, are you lost?" The postman smiled getting out of the van.

"Sort of, um... yeah,"

"fuck," Erin doubled over.

"Is she ok?" The postman asked worried,

"she needs to get to hospital, do you know where the nearest one is? Or could we borrow your phone and call an ambulance?" Ari asked.

"Get it, I'll give you a lift," the man told them, quickly emptying the postbox and gesturing towards two seats in the back of his van.

"Thank you," Ari replied.

"What's the matter with her?" He asked, as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"She's pregnant, and the doctors said she had to go into hospital at the first sign of... well, anything," Ari explained, the postman peered at them through the rear view mirror.

"How old are you?" He questioned,

"I'm 15, she's 14," she explained.

"Oh, ok, each to their own, I guess," he replied. "Oh," he passed his phone backwards, "do you want to call her parents?"

"Thanks," Ari accepted the phone, "wait..." she looked to Erin, "do you know Mike's phone number? Or May Li's?"

"No," Erin shook her head, wincing.

"The only phone number I know is my own, and Mike took my phone..."

Erin looked at her,

"what?" Ari asked, "I can't call it. Mike's got it."

Erin stared at her,

"Mike's got it," Ari repeated, finally understanding.

Xxx

They were all still sat in the room, "I'll call the police," Mike said, and he went to pick up his phone, when suddenly Ari's phone began to ring.

He grabbed it and accepted the call quickly.

"Hello," he said, and the whole room leaned closer trying to hear what was being said. "Ari! Are you ok? Is Erin... oh... um... right... um... right... which hospital?"

Rick gasped, everyone looked at him in shock, then back to Mike.

"Who are you with?" He asked, "right, I will meet you at the hospital. Ok, bye Ari."

He put the phone down.

"Is Erin ok?" Rick asked fearfully.

"Ari believes that Erin is experiences Braxton Hicks contractions," Mike told him,

"since when was Ari an expect about pregnancy?" Rick snapped.

"They are currently being driven to the nearest hospital, I'm going to met them," Mike explained.

"What about me?" Rick asked,

"Ari's my best friend," Robbie threw in.

"I _really like _hospitals," Jem added smirking, and everyone turned to stare at her. "Long story," she told them, "it involves 13 possibilities. The first being hurling oneself into a hospital van filled with body bags, but the was impossible, the angle was too steep. The second involved a system of Japanese wrestling, but that is a very long story... so," she looked to Mike, "carry on."

"Right, Rick can come with me," Mike said, he grabbed his phone and Ari's, as well as her medication. "We'll keep you updated with what is going on."

Xxx

"Where do we go?" Ari asked, looking confusedly at the hospital signposted.

"A and E," the postman, who they now knew was called Joshua, with 3 children, the middle one also aged 14. "And if you make a lot of noise, then they'll check you out really quickly. When my youngest broke his arm we made him scream his head off and he was being checked out in 5 minutes."

"Ok, sounds like a plan," Arietta said, as Joshua guided them in the right direction.

Xxx

"Well I guess this is goodbye," Joshua said, "I really want to stay, but I've got to finish my rounds."

Ari nodded, Erin was currently being checked out and they were standing in the foyer waiting for Mike.

"Well, thank you for helping us," Arietta replied, "we are so lucky that we found you."

"It's been a pleasure," Joshua told them, "plus it's a great story for the kids."

"Yeah," Ari laughed, "how was work Dad? Oh y'know rescued a pregnant teenager and took her to hospital."

"Yeah," he agreed, "anyway, I've got to be off. Please tell me how it goes."

"I will do," Arietta promised, and he walked away, just as Mike and Rick sprinted through the doors.

"How's Erin?" Rick asked,

"the doctors are looking her over," Ari told him, "it's this way," she said, leading the way.

Xxx

Mike and Rick had left Ari in the waiting room, while they had gone to see Erin. Over an hour ago.

"Do you like hot chocolate?" A woman asked, and Ari jumped, before seeing the nurse who looked quite young, newly qualified Ari reckoned.

"Um... yes," Arietta replied, and the woman passed her a hot cup, "thanks."

"Other than your friend," the nurse said, sitting down next to her, "the hospital is quite quiet today."

"Well that's good I guess," Ari replied,

"yes," the nurse agreed, and the Chinese girl peered at her name tag which read _Linn__é__a._The nurse laughed, "just call me Twinnie, no one can pronounce my name."

"Ok Twinnie," Ari grinned, "I'm Ari or Arietta. But most people call me Ari, it's less effort."

The nurse nodded, taking a sip of her own hot chocolate before sighing as the heat misted up her glasses. "The worst thing about hot drinks," she told Ari.

They sat together for about ten minutes until Twinnie was called away, and Mike reappeared.

"What's going on?" Ari asked, clutching her empty cup.

"They have decided it is best if they give Erin an emergency caesarian," Mike said sitting down next to her.

There was silence for a couple of seconds, and Ari prepared herself, ready to be told off.

"I'm proud of you," he suddenly said, "you acted very maturely about this whole situation. No matter how painful it was for you."

Ari smiled, "thanks," she replied.

"Do you want me to take you back to the hostel?" Mike asked, she shook her head.

"Erin needs you here," she replied.

The sat in silence, when suddenly Mike's stomach rumbled.

"God I'm starving," he said,

"would you like me to go and get you some food from the canteen?" She asked,

"yes please," he replied, "and make sure you eat too."

"I will do," she said, and he passed her some money,

"and get something for Rick too."

Xxx

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow she would find her sister.

Then maybe they would find the other one too, a perfect birthday present for the other one. A new sister.

Two sisters. One older, one younger. What more could an only child of sixteen years ask for?

Excitement rose in her veins, her sister was close, she could feel it. She knew it.

And she couldn't wait.

Xxx

Ari found Mike and Rick in Erin's room,

"when are you going into surgery?" She asked the younger girl,

"twenty minutes," Erin replied.

"I've got you two, sandwiches," Ari said, passing one to Rick, and the other to Mike.

"Thanks," Mike replied, Ari began to walk away, out of the room, but at the doorway she turned round to face Erin.

"Good luck."

Xxx

Mike and Rick walked behind Erin as she was wheeled into surgery, and the nurses positioned a curtain so that Erin (and the others) couldn't see where they were operating.

The nurses and doctors worked quickly, and Mike and two kids had no idea what was going on.

"Can you feel anything?" One of the doctors asked at one point,

"no," Erin replied,

"good, the painkillers have worked," he said before disappearing behind the curtain.

"What's going on?" Erin asked some minutes later, and Rick peered round the curtain and then looked back to his girlfriend looking rather ill. "What the matter?" She questioned,

"I didn't know," he started, "um... I didn't know they did it like that," and one of the nurses laughed.

"Don't worry," she told them, "everything is perfectly normal, and," she looked to Rick, "at least he didn't faint."

"How long will it be?" Mike asked,

"a couple of minutes," she told them, and disappeared back behind the curtain.

About a minute later they heard a cry.

"He's nearly out," one of the nurses called, and what seemed like a lifetime later someone else cried.

"He's out."

Everything was silent for a couple of moments, then suddenly a baby began screaming.

"Gawh, he's got a good pair of lungs," one of the doctors commented, as the baby was carried off to the side.

"What's going on?" Erin asked,

"just tests dear, he's fine."

The nurse disappeared behind the curtain, and they waited. Rick and Erin clutching to each other for dear life.

Then the doctor reappeared carrying the baby now wrapped in some blankets.

"He's perfectly healthy, a bit small, but other than that, he's completely fine," he passed the baby to Erin, who stared, fixated on her son.

"Oh my god," Rick whispered, "my son."

"Alfie," Erin replied, staring at their baby.

"I like Alfie," Rick told her.

"Alfie..." she paused,

"Eric?" he suggested, and she shook her head, thinking back to that afternoon.

"Joshua."

"Joshua?"

"Yes," Erin told him, "Alfie Joshua Walker-Barber."

"Hello Alfie," Rick said, taking his son off Erin. "I'm your Dad, and..." he looked to Mike, "this is your Grandpa Mike."

"Grandpa!" Mike exclaimed, "I think you mean Uncle!" But he was smiling with pride at his two kids.

This calm moment was disturbed by Alfie beginning to scream.

Xxx

May Li's phone began to ring, and all the kids looked to her.

The last thing they had heard was that Erin was going into surgery.

"Hello," she said, "Ari, hi. Ok... I'll put you on speaker phone."

"Alfie Joshua Walker-Barber, was born at 19:58 on the 4th of April 2014, weighing 3 pounds," Ari told them, "he is small, but completely healthy, and Erin is completely fine too."

At this point Ari was bombarded with questions and messages of congratulations to the new parents.

Xxx

"Have you told Sam yet?" Robbie asked later, in a private phone call between the two of them.

"I'm going to tell her tomorrow," Ari replied, "because she's going to freak about it, and will be interrogating me for an age. Plus tomorrow we are going back to the house to pick up the supplies that Erin and Rick bought for Alfie, and I'm going to see Sam then. If she wants to see me."

"So what does Alfie look like?" Robbie asked,

"I don't know," Ari replied, "I haven't gone to see him. That is something for another day. I don't think I can cope with much more today."

"How are you?" Robbie asked, voice softening.

"Better than I would expect," she told him honestly, "I don't know how long I'll last for. I think I'm just going to drug myself up tonight, and sleep in the waiting room and deal with my emotions tomorrow."

Xxx

She watched as the time on her phone changed from 23:59 to 00:00. And the date changed from Friday 4th April to Saturday 5th April.

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Shanay, happy birthday to you," she sung at the hotel's ceiling.

"Today everything is going to change," she said to the darkness, "today we're going to be a family. A new family."

Xxx

"We've got a family together," Erin whispered to Rick,

"and this is just the start," Rick told her. "Alfie is just the first."

"Oh, so how many children away we having?" Erin asked laughing, despite her tiredness.

"A hundred," he replied, grinning.

"You know," Erin started after a pause, "Ari's alright."

"But..." Rick began, and she silenced him.

"She had a kid," she told him, "a little girl called Mia. Mia Hope Rosenberg."

"Oh my..." Rick whispered,

"I know," Erin replied, "I don't know much more than that, but Mia died."  
"But Ari's gay?!"

"Well... maybe she didn't use to be," Erin suggested.

"It explains a lot, Mia," Rick said,

"I just feel so bad," Erin replied, "it must be so hard for her."

"We didn't know though," he reasoned.

"She was wonderful today," Erin told him, "I would still be lost in the woods if she hadn't followed me."

"I think we need to apologise," Rick said.

"Yeah... and I need to tell Kitty, and Elektra. Oh my god, I haven't told them yet!" Erin exclaimed,

"the morning," Rick replied.

"Do you think we can go and see Alfie?" Erin asked,

"Erin, he's on the baby ward, and it's not open until the morning," Rick replied, and she sighed, "let's just try and get some sleep."

"About the other 99 children," Erin murmured, "can we wait until we have left school?"

Xxx

When Sam came downstairs, she noticed her Nonno and Grandma watching her, unusually subdued.

"Morning," she chirped, she was in a good mood. She had woken up to the sunlight pouring through her curtains, and had laid in her bed for a couple of minutes before deciding to wanted to go out for a run.

She had quickly dressed, and had planned to eat a quick breakfast.

"I was going to go for a run, is that ok?" Sam questioned, "or do we have something planned."

"No," Lynne replied, staring at her granddaughter, "that's fine."

"Ok cool," Sam grabbed a piece of toast from the rack, "is there something the matter?"

"No, no," Lynne reassured her quickly, a fake smile plastered across her face.

"Ok," the blonde girl replied, deciding to let it go.

She headed out of the house, and started off with a run, but slowed to a walk after a couple of minutes. She wandered aimlessly through the park, slightly surprised by the unusual morning April heat.

Her phone ringing surprised her, she pulled her phone out of her pocket to find Ari was calling her.

"Morning Ari," she said,

"hey," Ari greeted, "are you ok?"

"Lovely thanks," Sam told her, "how are you?"

"I was calling to ask about you."

"Why? I'm great," the blonde girl replied, confused.

"Well I am going to be coming back to Newcastle this afternoon, so if you want to see me..."

"how come?" Sam questioned.

"Um... well... Mike is picking up some stuff from home for Erin, Rick and Alfie."

"Alfie?"

"Oh... um... Erin and Rick's son, he was born last night," Arietta elaborated, "a bit early, and a bit small but completely healthy."

"How are you?" She asked, sitting down on a nearby bench.

"I'm doing better than expected," Ari replied,

"so..."

"I'll explain everything later, should you want to see me..."

"Of course I want to see you Ari," Sam replied.

"Ok, well I'll call you when I arrive at home, and then we can arrange from there."

"Ok,"

"I've gotta go," the Chinese girl told her, "but if you need me, call me."

"Bye,"

"see ya later."

Sam hung up smiling, and looked up to see a blonde girl, a year or two older than her, staring at her, before looking at a piece of paper, and then back to her.

Sam stood up, as the blonde girl approached her.

"Hey," the girl started, "random question: do you know Samantha Carter?"

Sam froze, completely stunned: _who was this stranger? And why was she looking for her? _

"I am Sam," she told her,

"thought so," the girl replied, nodding to herself.

"Why do you want to know? Who are you?" Sam questioned.

"I'm Evelyn," she told her, and Sam looked back at her blankly, and the older girl was forced to elaborate.

"Evelyn Carter. Your sister."

**Please review xxx**


	64. 5th April 2014

**Chapter 64**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Linneagb for reviewing on _lots _of chapters :)**

**So it's been three months, I apologise. Sixth form has been hell, I wish I could go back to year 11. Back when I was update nearly every week. Oh well... on with the chapter :)**

"I'm Evelyn," she told her, and Sam looked back at her blankly, and the older girl was forced to elaborate.

"Evelyn Carter. Your sister."

"Sorry, what?" Sam asked, eyes wide, "I think there has been some kind of mix up..." but she knew in her heart there hadn't been: blonde hair, blue eyes. The trademark Carter look.

How Dad had liked his women obviously, because both Kahri and Sam's mum were tall, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. So consequently these looks had been passed onto Shine, and Sam, and now... Evelyn.

"Well, half-sister anyway," Evelyn corrected, "as my Mum's Katherine, and I think your Mum was different."

"My Mum's name was Savina," Sam told her,

"was?"

"Yes, she died when I was 4."

"I'm sorry," Evelyn admitted, and a heavy, awkward silence hung between the two girls. "Did you know my Mum?"

"Katherine, I..." Sam was about to deny it, when the sudden realisation hit her in a sharp stab, "Kahri."

"Kahri?" She questioned,

"that's what she called herself, yeah... Dad left my Mum to move in with Kahri. Yeah... the day my Mum found out she had cancer, Dad walked out and moved in with the woman he was having an affair with."

"Oh, I... didn't expect that, I thought..."

"What?" Sam interrupted, "that Dad was a family man, who was kind and loving and put his children first... no."

Evelyn was silent for a couple of moments, "tell me," she finally said, "what is my Mum like?"

"Do you want the truth, or something beautiful?" Sam asked.

Evelyn sighed; she wanted to hear something beautiful; to be told her Mum loved her, and missed her and wished she'd never put her into care, but she knew that wouldn't help in the long run.

"The truth," she whispered,

"honestly," Sam told her, "she's a bitch." She paused, "we lived with Kahri and Dad for 7 years, and at no point did either of them make a point of looking after us. They effectively held us prisoner because they didn't want to give up their party-hard lifestyle, and have to put up a respectable front for the social or school, so they just pretended that we didn't exist."

"We, being you and Shanay?" Evelyn guessed,

"Shine, we never called her Shanay," Sam corrected.

"So..." the blonde girl asked, "where's Sha... Shine?"

"She died three years ago," Sam told her bluntly, trying to hold back the tears that were threateningly to take over.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Evelyn apologised, trying to hug her half-sister who shrugged her off.

"So are you in care?" Sam asked,

"I'm currently in foster care," she replied, "I've been in and out of foster placements, and care homes all my life. What about you?"

"I live with my grandparents," Sam explained, and Evelyn brightened, "my Mum's parents," she added, and Evelyn looked a little put out.

"What were Dad's parents like?" She questioned,

"I can't remember ever meeting then," she told her honestly, "if I did I would have only been little at the time."

To Sam it felt so odd telling a relative stranger everything, even if the stranger was her sister.

"Since Shine died I have been moved between foster placements, care homes and I even went to juvie," she told Evelyn, "I had anger issues, but they are less prominent now. But then my grandparents found me and I moved in with them almost immediately."

Evelyn nodded, excitedly, reminded Sam of a puppy.

"There's a café just over the road," she told Sam, "we should go get food, and eat, and you have to tell me everything about you: what is your favourite subject at school? Favourite colour? Have you got a boyfriend? Or a girlfriend? I'm not judgemental."

"Ok," Sam agreed, "but hopefully it's cheap, because I haven't got very much money with me."

"Don't worry, I'll pay for my little sister," Evelyn told her.

"Ok, thanks. Anyway: physics, yellow, no but yes."

"Physics? Ew... yellow? Ok, and..."

"I don't have a boyfriend, but I have a girlfriend, her name is Arietta and she's freaking adorable," Sam giggled slightly, before returning to her usual calm demeanour, "but tell her I said that... like that... and I'll never hear the end of it."

"Have you got a picture?" Evelyn asked,

"oh yes," Sam told her, showing her her phone's lock screen; a picture of them when Gay marriage was legalised, covered head to toe in rainbows. "She's the one who's not me," she told her half-sister fairly obviously, "and we don't normally dress like that... it was an... occasion."

"Ok," Evelyn replied, she sighed. "I am sorry for choosing such a shitty day to come and see you."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked,

"well... 5th of April, that would have been Shine's birthday... right?" Evelyn looked at her earnestly, and Sam found herself nodding, feeling slightly lost.

She had forgotten. She had forgotten Shine's birthday, her sister, the girl who had saved her and kept her sane for so many years...

Evelyn carried on talking as she led them to the café, talking of how she hated her English teacher, while her history teacher was hot. How she dreamed of becoming a journalist, and how she wanted to make millions and live in Belgravia.

Sam didn't say anything, just nodded or made noises of agreement.

Her grandparents had remembered, that's why they were watching her, trying to gauge how she was reacting to what they suspected would be a painful day.

Ari had remembered - oh god - she wasn't even a blood relation. All those questions, asking whether she was ok, and the promises to be there to talk...

But she, the sister _and _Shine's best friend had forgotten.

Evelyn was still talking, she had placed the a pile of photos in front of Sam. Numbly the younger girl picked them up, looking at the pictures of Evelyn, starting as a baby, then a toddler... _god, she looked so much like Shine. The cheeky grin, the blonde hair, the blue eyes... _it hit Sam with a sharp stab, around the same time of this picture being taken she would have just been born, a couple of months old at most.

Her whole life there had been a sister she had never known, a secret that hadn't come up even with the break down of her own parent's marriage.

A sister who was now sitting in front of her, telling her whole life story, about her allergy to peanuts and her pet goldfish she had when was 8 called Captain Bubbles.

Sam's phone buzzed: message from Ari.

She quickly opened the message:

_are you still free to see me this afternoon?_

"Who's that?" Evelyn asked intrigued,

"my... grandma," Sam lied, "we were meant to be going shopping, and I forgot..." she stood up quickly.

"I like shopping," her new sister replied.

"Well... um..." _fuck_, she added in her head. _This new sister wasn't going to let her go easily. _"Well... I'd rather tell my Grandma about you at my own... rate, I don't want to just spring it on her, um..."

"Surely she'd be happy for you?" Evelyn replied,

"well... my Grandma hated my Dad, and she hated how he treated my Mum, and hated how Dad and Kahri treated Shine and I... um... she's not going to be exactly thrilled about her ex-son-in-law having a kid with someone else while he was still with my Mum. So... not today."

"But I came on a 5 and a half hour train journey to see you," she argued,

"sorry," Sam apologised, "I've got to go." She turned her back, trying to get to the door as quickly as possible.

"Sam, these photos are for you," Evelyn said, sounding hurt. Sam turned back, staring at her blankly before scooping up the pictures.

"_And,_" Evelyn continued, "here's my number," she offered her younger sister a scrap of paper, which Sam grabbed. She stood up, "I can walk you home."

"No." Sam told her, voice loud, strong, and she saw Evelyn's face crumple. "It's fine, I'm not a kid."

She walked quickly away, leaving her sister to wonder why their first encounter had gone nothing like she had envisioned.

Xxx

"Did you sleep ok?" Mike asked, sitting down next to Ari.

"The chairs aren't particularly comfy, but I was fine apart from that..." Arietta lied, and Mike fixed her with a look.

"The nurses had to wake you up three times because you were screaming," he replied, and she looked away staring at Sam's (still) muddy trainers. "Ari, you've got to talk about these things..."

"Mike, this isn't the time," she replied, rubbing her face smudging her already ruined makeup.

"Ok," he said softly, he sat down beside her, putting his arm around her and she leaned up against him.

"It's just..." she paused, "hard... I don't know how I'm meant to feel, and I don't know how I do feel..."

"That's ok Ari," he comforted,

"can I still see Sam today?" She questioned, and he nodded.

"As long as that's ok with Lynne and Aldo," he replied, and Ari stared at him incredulously.

"Of course it's ok with them, they love me."

The sunk into a silence, "have you eaten?" He asked,

"not yet," she admitted and Mike pulled out his wallet, passing her some money.

"Go," he told her, "but don't even think about buying pizza for breakfast."

"Urgh," she complained, "you ruin all my fun."

"Ari," he called after her, and she turned back. "I can't say this enough, but Ari... I am _so _proud of you."

"Thanks," she replied, before sighing, hating to bring up the part of her mind that she tried to ignore, but she knew, deep down, that ignoring would only make everything worse in the long run. "Can you book me in to see my psychiatrist?"

"Of course," he told her,

"thanks."

Xxx

"He is so gorgeous," Erin said, hugging her son.

"Yeah," Rick agreed, "especially when he isn't puking on me." He was sat in his t-shirt; his hoodie had been soiled by his newborn son.

Mike entered the room, "how are you?" He asked Erin,

"tired," she replied, " and sick of pissing in a bag, and not being able to move around."

"Do you want to call Elektra and Kitty yourself? Or do you want me to contact Elektra's new home and Kitty's brother?" He asked,

"I'll do it," she told him, "I'll just borrow Rick's phone."

"Ok."

Mike was about to continue, when Erin beat him to it. "Can I see Ari?" He blinked in surprise,

"Ari?"

"Yes, Ari..." Erin paused, "I mean... I understand if she doesn't want to see me..."

"I'll ask her," Mike promised, "she's getting breakfast at the moment."

"Ok thanks," Erin replied,

"do you want to hold him?" Rick asked Mike, who accepted the baby being passed to him. Then Rick passed his phone to Erin who began to call up Elektra.

Xxx

"How was your run?" Lynne asked as her granddaughter cannonballed through the front door,

"fine," Sam snapped, sprinting upstairs and slamming her bedroom door behind her.

"What was that?" Aldo asked, walking into the hallway from the kitchen.

"Sam," his wife replied, "I don't think she's taking it as well as we thought," her eyes filling with tears, and her husband pulled her into a hug, stroking her hair.

"Shh," he comforted her, as she cried, "there is nothing we can do."

"I know, and that's what makes it worse," she replied, "Sam's our baby, well..." she sighed, smiling slightly, "well grandbaby technically, and... there's nothing we can do to stop her from hurting."

"De ja vu," Aldo replied, "you were just like this when Savina was dumped by her first boyfriend, she was crying, and you were crying too because there was nothing you could do about it. Meanwhile Mahria got on her bike and went out to look for him, she must have been, what? Ten. Then she found the boy, and she shouted at him. I think she made him cry in the end," he laughed, and his wife laughed too.

"Our baby girl," Lynne reminisced sadly, as they made their way into the living room, "so willing to fight for the people she loved."

There was a pause. A cold silence that could chill your bones.

"Why do we lose everyone we love?" She asked her husband,

"We still have each other," he replied gruffly, and looked to the ceiling, "and Sam."

"We lost our daughters," Lynne said, looking to the photo on the mantle piece, depicting a holiday with their girls as teenagers. "And Shine, we missed her whole life and we missed so much of Sam's too."

"Sam will be with us for the rest of our lives," Aldo stated solidly, "we won't lose her too."

Lynne nodded, sitting down on the sofa staring straight ahead.

"This time last year we didn't even know we had any grandchildren," she said, wringing her hands together. "We were still waiting for the call about Mahria, waiting for any news, not knowing whether she was... ok."

"At least we have the truth now," Aldo told her, resting his hands on hers.

"Yeah," Lynne remarked bitterly, "that our daughter died in the most terrible way possible."

"Better to know the truth than always be kept wondering, at least we aren't living like that any more. Waiting for the phone to ring, afraid to leave the house in case someone calls telling us that they know anything about Mahria."

"Or Savina," Lynne added.

"We were waiting for Savina to call, not for a phone call about her," Aldo corrected, "Savina left to go to university, she only broke off contact with us because we weren't happy about her marrying James. We still had an idea about where she was, and we made the decision to give her the space that she requested. It was different for Mahria, she was abducted."

The two of them sat in silence, "I miss them," Lynne whispered,

"me too caro," Aldo replied, "me too."

Xxx

The knock on the door broke the silence, "come in," Erin called, and a disshelvelled and tired looking Ari entered.

"You came!" Erin exclaimed in surprise, she had genuinely expected for the Chinese girl not to come, to send Mike, to tell Erin that it would too painful, too upsetting, too traumatising, and Erin wouldn't have blamed her.

Ari looked to Rick, "could you leave us?" she asked, voice small. He looked to his girlfriend, silently asking whether it was ok, Erin nodded minutely. Rick got up quickly, leaving the room.

"How are you?" Erin asked Ari,

"I really ought to be the one asking that question," Arieta stated,

"Ari, you've been through a lot," Erin replied,

"you're the one who had your stomach cut open," Ari reminded her. Erin paused,

"fair enough," she admitted, while Ari smirked, taking a small joy in her victory.

A small silence filled the room, not a comfortable one, Ari fidgeted while Erin examined her nails.

"Would you..." Erin started,

"Can I..." Ari began at the same time, they both laughed awkwardly, and Erin gestured for Ari to speak first. "Can I see Alfie?" She asked, looking down into her lap, diverting her eyes away from Erin while Erin noticed the hollow appearance of the other girl's face, how the shadows were covering nearly every inch; what she never normally saw, always hidden under a perfect makeup job. Erin wondered how long the Chinese girl must spend covering up every imperfection, every scar.

"I think..." Ari didn't look up, "it would help... I mean... I..." she sighed, not a pleasant sound, a weary one. Weariness that you would not expect to associate with a 15 year old, but rather with a person of great age; someone who had lived too long.

"I don't know what I mean," Ari told her, "I just... I..." she trailed off again.

"Of course you can see him," Erin replied, voice soft, "_especially," _she emphasised, "if it would help."

"Thank you," the older girl replied, smiling slightly.

"Any time," Erin told her, "and..."

They were cut off by the ringing of Rick's phone,

"I'll go," Ari said standing up, nodding in the phone's direction.

"Ok," Erin replied, picking up the phone, "hi Kitty."

Xxx

"When can we see Erin, Rick and the baby?" Harry asked May Li, as everyone was gathered together for lunch.

"I talked to Mike earlier," May Li replied, "and he said tomorrow."

"What about Ari?" Robbie questioned, "she doesn't need to be in hospital... does she?"

"I'm not sure," she told him honestly, "she might come back with Mike tonight, and I'll be going to stay in hospital with Erin, Rick and Alfie, and he'll be staying here with you."

"Are we going to spend all the time here that we planned to?" Faith asked, "or will we cut the holiday short?"

"I don't know yet," May Li said, "but I do know we are going to go go-karting this afternoon, so I expect you all back in the foyer by two."

Xxx

Ari returned to the waiting room, and after a couple of minutes Rick passed her with a mumbled "hi". About ten minutes after that a nurse with a baby, presumably Alfie, walked past her, then returned a few minutes after without him.

Arietta waited (unusually) patiently in the room, on the stiff chairs that made her muscles ache; giving the new parents time with their time, before she intruded.

When she finally decided that a significant amount of time had passed she made her way to Erin's private room, opening the door she was met with Alfie's screams and panic from his parents.

"Why won't he stop crying?" Erin asked Ari,

"um... er... hungry?" Ari suggested in return, "tired? Uncomfortable? Needing a nappy change?"

"We have tried everything!" Rick exclaimed,

"pass him here," she said softly, "and," she turned to Erin, "stop shouting."

Erin, some what reluctantly, passed Alfie to the older girl who had taken a seat in the chair next to her bed.

Ari was frozen for a moment, as Alfie was placed in her arms, taking deep breaths trying to untie the knots of her stomach and keep the darkness from invading.

Then Alfie started screaming.

Ari pulled him close to her chest, and start talking to him quietly, rapidly whispering in Chinese, cradling him.

Eventually Alfie quietened down, and Ari held onto him for a lingering moment before passing him back to Erin, leaving a silence between them all.

"So, what now?" Ari asked, "is Alfie going to be coming back to Ashdene? Or..."  
We don't know," Rick replied, "we have to talk to Mike about it."

"Talk to Mike about what?" Mike asked, poking his head round the door.

"I'll leave you to it," Ari said, quickly leaving the room.

"Mike, we were wondering what's going to happen to Alfie?" Rick asked, "will he come back to Ashdene with us?"

"No," Mike told them honestly,

"but he's my baby," Erin cried, "our baby," she corrected when Rick sent her a look. "You can't take him away."

"Erin," Mike said firmly, "we're not separating you. We wouldn't do that."

"Really?" Rick asked, eyes wide.

"I've found a foster family willing to look after you two and Alfie."

"Will we still go to St John's?" Erin asked, and Mike shook his head.

"No, the family are in Sunderland," he replied, "about 40 minutes away, they've found you both a school in the area."

"Oh." Erin said simply.

"When will we be moving in?" Rick asked,

"as soon as Alfie and Erin are ready to leave," Mike told them.

"So we won't be coming back to the dumping ground?" Erin whispered, and Mike shook his head.

"It will be permanent."

"Will we get an opportunity to meet this..." Rick paused, "family, before we move in?"

"Unfortunately not," Mike told them honestly.

A silence filled the room.

"So will you be ok if all the kids visit you tomorrow?" Mike asked,

"yeah," Erin sighed, "as long as we get to see Kitty and Elektra as well."

"Of course," Mike told them, he glanced down at his watch.

"I better get going," he said, "I am taking Arietta to go and see Sam, then I'm going to swap places with May Li. So she'll be here in about three hours, do you think you'll be ok?"

"We'll be fine Mike," Rick reassured him,

"ok," Mike stood up, "see you two tomorrow."

Xxx

"Are you sure Lynne and Aldo will be ok with you staying with them?" Mike questioned, as he drove them back towards the dumping ground.

"Of course they will," Ari replied, laughing, "I'm delightful."

"Ari," he said sternly,

"they won't mind," she promised him. She was silent for a moment, "because I'm delightful."

Xxx

It was past lunch, and considerably later when they pulled up outside Sam's house. Ari, of course, had decided that she needed to have a shower – something that Mike did not dispute – but then proceeded to straighten her hair, have 3 outfit changes, do her full face of makeup, before she'd even gotten into the car. Then she proceeded to spend the whole journey shouting her affections out of the window, every time they passed a postbox.

Ari jumped out of the car, grabbing her rucksack stuffed full of clothes while Mike knocked on the door.

"Mike!" Lynne exclaimed opening the door, "what can I do for you?"

"Sam asked to see me," Ari stated, hugging her girlfriend's grandmother.

"There is a lot going on at the moment, with Erin giving birth and all," Mike explained,

"oh, Sam hadn't said," Lynne cooed, "how did it go?"  
"Alfie's fine, and so is Erin," Arietta replied.

"Good good,"

"I have to go back to the others," Mike butted in,

"so could I stay here for the night or... something," Ari interrupted.

"You don't even need to ask that," she replied, "come right in." She opened the door further, allowing Ari to enter the house.

Lynne turned back to Mike, "Ari can stay as long as you need, even until the end of Easter if that's necessary."

"Thank you," Mike replied, "you're a life saver."

Xxx

"Ari," Lynne said, as the girl begin to climb the stairs. "You do know what today is?"

Arietta nodded, "Shine's 20th birthday," Lynne nodded in return.

"Sam isn't taking it too well," she warned the younger girl, "she hasn't even eaten lunch."

"Whoa, Sam not having lunch that's..."

"precisely."

"Would you like me to take some food up for her?" Ari asked, and Lynne nodded, heading into the kitchen and she followed her.

"Have you eaten?" Lynne asked, as she brought out a sandwich she had made for her granddaughter.

"Yeah," Ari replied, but not protesting when Lynne handed her another plate covered with biscuits, and then Sam's sandwich. "Thanks."

Xxx

It was hard to carry two plates, and knock on the door but Ari some how managed it without dropping more than three biscuits.

Sam didn't reply.

"It's meeeeee," she called through the key hole, but Sam didn't reply. Sighing Ari opened the door and walked in anyway.

Sam was sitting on her bed looking over pictures of a blonde child, Shine, while she had the song Sunflower playing.

"Hey," she whispered, not looking up at Ari.

"Hi," the older girl replied, closing the door. "You ok?"

She walked closer to the bed, and she was able to see the pictures more clearly and Ari became more and more certain that the girl in the photographs wasn't Shine.

"That's not Shine," she said, Sam's head snapped up, and Ari immediately regretted saying it. Of course it was Shine, of course it...

"No, it isn't," Sam confirmed.

"So...?" Ari sat down next to her girlfriend, "any reason why you are looking at pictures of a random kid?"

"She's not a random kid," Sam told her, "she's my sister." She paused, "well... half sister."

"How long have you known about her?"

"Since this morning," Sam replied, "same Dad, Kahri's her mum."

"So how old is she?"

"16, going on 17,"

"oh."

"Yeah," Sam agreed.

There was silence for a moment, "her name's Evelyn, Evelyn Carter."  
"Do you usually say names like that?" Ari teased, "Sam, Sam Carter."

"Stop it Ari, Arietta Rosenberg," Sam was laughing.

"Have you told Lynne and Aldo?" Sam was shaking her head, before Ari had even finished talking.

"They are hurting enough about Shine, this is not the day to tell them that my Dad was cheating on my Mum, even before I was born."

"So we're going to tell them tomorrow," Ari said decisively,

"what?! Ari, no."

"Mame de," she interrupted,

"what?!"

"Um... just frozen in... anyway, doesn't matter. Continue."

"Ari, we can't tell them tomorrow."

"It's better we tell them sooner rather than later,"

"but it's not there life, she's not related to them."

"But you're related to her, this is a big part of your life, and you're a big part of theirs. So you owe it to them to be frank with them."

"You're not giving me an option here, are you?" Sam questioned,

"nope," Ari replied cheerily, kissing her on the nose. "So I suggest you eat your lunch and we get started on this biscuits, maybe watch a film. Talk if you want, but if not, that's fine. Whatever you want."

"Mean Girls?" Sam suggested,

"yes!" Ari almost shouted,

"volume," the blonde girl reminded her.

"Urgh," Ari rolled her eyes, "whatever."

"Come on," Sam said, turning off her CD player, "Regina George awaits."

**Well that took a long time, I have literally been writing this chapter on and off for the last 3 and a bit months. So glad it is finally done.**

**Hope you enjoyed it :)**

**And, just in case you have forgotten the drill: please review **

**And if I don't see you again before then: Merry Christmas **


	65. This is Family

**Chapter 65**

**Thank you Candy-Apple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you HarryvsVoldemort for PMing me, I'm glad you enjoyed The Days Before Tomorrow and are enjoying Our Time To Shine**

It was around 7'o'clock when the phone started ringing, in response Sam murmured something along the lines of "shut up" before snuggling back into her duvet, and falling back to sleep. Ari, on the other hand reached sleepily for the phone and answered it, only to realise that it wasn't her phone that was ringing; it was Sam's.

"Hey Sam," the girl down the phone chirped, and Ari sat up straight, accidentally pulling the duvet away from the sleeping blonde who moaned, before curling herself tighter into a ball. "Sam?" Evelyn repeated,

"sorry not Sam. Ari," she corrected.

"What? Sam's girlfriend?" She asked suspiciously,

"oh? She told you about me?!" Ari stated, "I'm guessing you are Evelyn."

"Yes, Evelyn. Evelyn Carter, Sam's sister,"

"half-sister," the Chinese girl corrected.

"May I talk to my sister?" Evelyn asked,

"she's asleep,"Arietta told her honestly.

"Then why are you there?"

"Well I was asleep too, then you woke me up," Ari stated.

"You're a bit young," Evelyn said sternly,

"don't lecture me, I'm not a child," she replied, annoyance rising. "Anyway it was just a sleepover."

"Look I understand that you and Samantha are all young love, but if you hurt my sister..."

"then I'll fucking end you," Arietta finished. "If you hurt Sam, Evelyn. Then I will destroy you. Sam has been through enough."

"I'm her sister, I'm not going to hurt her," Evelyn replied, as if it were obvious.

"Half-sister," she snapped, "being family does not mean that you can't and won't hurt Sam. No one is infallible."

"Well you're definitely not," the older girl returned.

"No need to be so critical dear," Ari told her,

"what?" Sam mumbled, looking sleepily up at her girlfriend.

"You're half-sister," Arietta explained.

"What?!" Sam exclaimed, waking straight up, "why would you answer my phone?"

"Sorry, it was an accident, I thought it was mine, though I have to say it has been very informative talking to your charming half-sister," Ari said, "bye Evie," she called, passing the phone over to her girlfriend, and planting a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you in a few minutes," she said before heading downstairs.

Xxx

"Who's Sam talking to?" Lynne questioned as Ari entered the kitchen,

"um..." Arietta froze, trying to create a believable lie, "Lana."

"Lana?"

"Revol. In our... um class, and Sam's football team, it's about, er... geography homework."

"At least Sam isn't the only person in the world who starts school work at ridiculously early times in the morning," Lynne commented, flipping over the breakfast she was cooking. She sighed, voice lowering, "I sometimes worry about her," she admitted, "Sam. She works too much, too hard."

Ari nodded, "she does."

"At least she has you," Lynne said, "the time she has with you is her only down time, she never lets herself be unproductive."

"Can always read one more chapter, or go on another run, or practise football more," Ari commented, and Lynne nodded.

"I just wish it was the other way round, having to pester her to do her homework to rouse her from laziness. Not have to convince to stop, slow down, to take a break."

"At least she's building herself a future," Ari reassured her, "planning ahead. Could really be worse, could be a no hoper like me."

"Ari's that not true," Lynne told her firmly,

"I survived all the shit the world has to throw at me, and I still doubt I will be able to pass 5 GCSEs. My English is appalling, and that carries through to the other subjects. My maths might scrape a C if I'm lucky, but I don't even know what the difference between all the sciences are so I'll definitely be failing them. Music is the only subject that I excel at, I could easily go to music college now. I mean, I have been at the standard for years. I am easily good enough for that, but..." she sighed, and sat down accepting the cup of tea Lynne offered her.

"I don't think that's who I am any more, and I don't think I can be that girl again. I've been through to much, I'm past the point of return. I am a new person, I just don't think that this new person has a future." Ari sighed again in apology,

"sorry, that was a cheery start to the morning."

"It's alright," Lynne said, sitting down next to the girl.

They sat in silence, sipping their tea before Lynne returned her attention to the breakfast.

"You will be ok Ari," she said, "you might not know what your future will be now. But it will work itself out, it always does."

"Thanks," she replied, getting the plates out of the cupboard so Lynne could serve up.

"Oh... I forgot you were vegetarian," Lynne said, staring down at the frying pans full of sausages and bacon, "um... you'll be able to have a tomato and mushroom, and some beans, hmm..."

"Would you like me to make some toast?" Ari suggested,

"good idea," the older woman replied, "after all Sam and Aldo will definitely eat it."

Ari nodded, "those two will eat anything."

"Oi," Sam said from the doorway, "that's not true."

"Of course it isn't," Aldo added, and Ari and Lynne just exchanged a look.

"Sam, lay the table," Lynne said, "and Aldo," she looked to her husband, "you can not wear that shirt, the collar has completely worn out, go and change." He rolled his eyes, but did as she said while Sam took the cutlery through to the dining room.

"Anyway," Lynne addressed Ari, "if you don't work out what to do with your life, you can just marry Sam and be her housewife."

"Trophy wife," she joked back, smiling down at the plates. "Who knows," she said seriously, looking at Lynne directly, "maybe that will happen."

"Do you want that to happen?" Lynne asked, lowering her voice so Sam or Aldo would not overhear.

"I'm only 15, marriage is a hell of a long way away," Ari replied, "but I do know that I want to have Sam in my life. She's special, and I have lost too many special things in my life. I don't want to lose her too; I can't lose her. But I don't know whether we will stay together, or if we'll just be friends. I just know I can't lose her."

"None of us can," Lynne replied, "Sam's special, anyway now, breakfast."

Xxx

"Ari!" Elektra exclaimed, staring at Erin as if she were mad, "I thought you... she hated her... you."

"Well..." Erin started, Kitty raised an eyebrow, "I did. I mean, I though I did, but... well. She's actually pretty decent."

Kitty laughed, rolling her eyes, "what did I tell you?"

"Rich coming from the founding member of the _I-hate-Arietta _club," Erin responded,

"well that was before I found out that she actually had a terrible life, and she wasn't just an over dramatic bitch," Kitty stated, and Erin sighed looking down at her son in her arms.

"He's adorable," Elektra stated, attempting to get the conversation back on to safer ground.

"Takes after his Mum," Rick replied, and her friends laughed.

"Charmer," Erin smirked,

"I do try,"

"Aww, look he's smiling," Kitty said, looking down at Alfie, who in response gurgled happily.

"When do think you'll be discharged?" Elektra questioned, "as you and Alfie look like you're doing pretty well."

"They reckon it could be in a couple of days," Erin said, "since we're doing so well."

"Then we'll be off to Sunderland," Rick added.

"For how long?" Kitty asked, and he shrugged.

"Long term I'd imagine, so until we finish school, so a good three years probably," he told her.

"Whoa," Elektra muttered, "at least you have a vague outline what is going to happen," she said, shifting her wheelchair, "I have no idea how my future is going to turn out, and that's not taking into consideration that I'll still be in this wheelchair."

"Everything will be ok," Erin told her, and Elektra didn't reply just directed her gaze to the hospital floor.

"Can I hold him?" Kitty asked Erin,

"of course," she replied, and Kitty took the seat nearest Erin's bed and awkwardly picking up Alfie who squawked a little.

"Support his neck," Rick reminded her,

"oh yeah, oops..." Kitty mumbled, as she shifted her positioning to be more comfortable for Alfie, who settled down peacefully. "He's so little," she whispered, "and so beautiful."

They all sat in silence for a minute, revelling in the peace of the moment while Alfie clenched his fist around Kitty's thumb and holding tight.

"How hard was it leaving the dumping ground?" Erin asked, after about a minute. Elektra sighed,

"hard," she admitted, "it was the first place I really felt at home, and then I lost that too," she replied bitterly. Kitty nodded,

"it was the first place I felt safe," she added, "and I felt like I was part of a family. And I love living with Josh but... it's very lonely in comparison to the dumping ground, just me, him and his girlfriend. I miss the noise and the people, and seeing my friends everyday and..." she looked away awkwardly.

"Johnny?" Rick suggested,

"yeah," Kitty admitted, she looked down at Alfie and then back up again, "is he still with Jemima?"

"Yeah," Erin replied, "still can't see what he sees in her."

"Me neither," he agreed,

"I wish I hadn't lost him," she said sighing, "I really liked him, despite what I said."

"I know," Erin said comfortingly, putting a hand on the younger girl's shoulder.

"It felt like I lost everything when I left," Elektra said suddenly, "I lost my home, I lost my friends,"

"we're," Erin interrupted, and the older girl silenced her.

"Yeah, I know... but I have only seen you three or four times since I left the dumping ground, and I've been gone since September, which is like... 7 months ago. So it feels like the distance has lead to us losing our closeness to some extent, just because you're not here for me, and I'm not there for you. And, as well as that," she snorted, "I lost that boyfriend."

"You and Liam broke up?" Kitty asked, eyes widening.

"Yeah," Elektra replied, "he came to see me once, and at the start he texted me a lot, but then it got less and less often, and then he just texted me one day saying he thought we should break up. So we did. Now he's a got a lovely new girlfriend, very pretty."

"Liam is a twat," Erin stated firmly,

"you said he wouldn't give up on me," Elektra snapped, and Erin flinched, "but he did, and now I'm stuck here in this stupid wheelchair, for probably the rest of my stupid life, and I have lost, and am losing everyone that mattered."

"You won't lose us," Erin told her, and Elektra laughed,

"yeah, 7 months and you've only seen me when I visited you, you have never come to see me. Or even tried to. I'm losing you already."

An awkward silence filled the room, everyone trying to avoid eye contact and get rid of the chill that had turned the room cold.

"I'm sorry," Erin apologised, "I've just been so busy,"  
"that you couldn't text?" Elektra asked, monotone, defeat creeping across her face.

"It'll be different this time," Erin promised her,

"we'll see," she replied.

"Well, Alfie does need to get to know his honorary auntie, so I think it'll have to be," Erin said, and Elektra head snapped up.

"Honorary auntie?" Elektra questioned,

"yep," Erin replied, she looked between the older girl and Kitty, "both of you are. Auntie Kitty and Auntie Elektra."

Elektra held out her arms to Erin, "thank you," she said, hugging the younger girl.

"It'll be different this time," Erin repeated,

"ok, so let me see my nephew," Elektra said looking to Kitty, who passed the small boy other. "Awwh," she cooed, and Erin took a step back to stand next to Rick.

"Family," she told him, smiling at the scene in front of her Elektra and Kitty fussing over their son, "that's what this."

"Yeah," he replied, taking her hand, and kissing her gently, "family."

Xxx

Everyone crowded onto the minibus, "I can't wait to see Erin's chick," Mo cried,

"Mo, it's a baby," Tee explained,

"will it still be in its egg, or will it have hatched?" He continued, and Tee just shook her head in amusement.

"Has the baby got a Jeff?" Harry wondered, "everybody needs a Jeff."

"Yes, Rick asked me to bring it for him, so we'll have to make a quick stop off at home to get it," Mike told them.

"Mike, could I just go and see Ari instead?" Robbie questioned, "it's not like me and Erin are friends, or anything."

"No, you have to go and see Erin, it's the right thing to do," Mike told him,

"but this has been undoubtedly harder for Ari, physically Erin but mentally Ari, and she's my best friend, and I want to be there for her," Robbie replied, crossing his arms.

Mike sighed, "ok, we'll drop you off at Ashdene Ridge and you can walk to Sam's house, and we'll pick you up afterwards."

"Cool, thanks Mike," he said grinning, swinging down into one of the empty seats pulling out his phone to text Ari.

Xxx

"Oh... cool," Ari said, staring at her phone grinning,

"what is it?" Lynne asked, looking away from Jeremy Kyle.

"Ssh," Sam hissed, and they all fell silent to here Jeremy Kyle announce,

"he's the father!"

"I knew it," Sam exclaimed,

"ew..." Ari responded, "just eurgh."

"So who is it?" Sam questioned, turning to her girlfriend.

"Oh, Robbie. Mike said he could come and see me instead of Erin, so yeah, Robbie will be here in about half an hour."

"That's great," Sam said though her voice lacked enthusiasm, and Ari and Lynne exchanged a look, a Lynne winked at her and Arietta held back a laugh.

"What?" Sam asked,

"nothing sweetpea," Lynne replied, and Ari smirked.

"Right." Sam responded getting up from the chair, "I'm getting biscuits," she stated before leaving the room.

"She's going to kill us when she finds out," Lynne whispered,

"tell me about it," Ari said laughing.

"Well at least we still have about three and a half months to live," she pointed out.

"Yep, I'll take three and a half."

"Three and a half what?" Sam questioned entering the room,

"cookies," Ari told her, grabbing them off the plate while Sam merely rolled her eyes.

Xxx

"Rick," Mike said, leading him out of the room, where everyone was crowded round Erin and the newborn, "I got you the _Jeff_ like you asked," handing him the stuffed giraffe that he had bought new for Alfie.

"Thanks Mike," Rick said, cradling the new giraffe.

"I'm going to miss you two," Mike told him, "even you two do do stupid things."

"We're going to miss you too," he replied, "a lot. You're like our Dad, well I already have a Dad but nothing wrong with having two. And you are like a hundred times more of a Dad than Erin's ever was to her."

"Thank you," Mike said, and Rick just hugged him, and Mike held on; wishing Erin and Rick didn't have to go into foster care, that they could stay at Ashdene Ridge, because they were his kids. But... he sighed, internally, foster care was the best thing for them. And he wanted the best for them.

"We should go back in," he told Rick, who just nodded, hiding the new Jeff underneath his hoodie.

Xxx

"Another sister!" Robbie exclaimed, as the three of them wandered the streets of Newcastle.

"Well half-sister," Sam corrected,

"who hates me," Ari added.

"She doesn't hate you," the blonde girl stated, the voice of reason like usual, "you've never even met. So there is no possibility that she could even hate you. Anyway you always say people hate you, and that's definitely not true."

"You told me Erin was lovely and wasn't going to hate me," Ari stated,

"what?"

"when Erin was coming home, and I was meeting her for the first time that is what you said."

"Well she likes you now,"

"yeah... nearly 6 months later."

"Ari does have a point," Robbie added,

"not helpful Robbie," Sam reminded him.

"Anyway how long is Evelyn in Newcastle for, cos I take it she's not local?" he asked,

"for all of Easter," she replied,

"wow, long time," he said.

"Especially if your sister refuses to see you," a voice came from behind them.

"Stalking much!" Ari exclaimed, turning round to face Evelyn.

"Unintentional," Evelyn replied, "I have better things to do than follow _you _round. I take it you're Ari."

"Pleasure," Arietta replied, curtseying sarcastically, while Evelyn wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"Um..." Sam looked awkwardly between her sister and girlfriend unsure of what to do.

"So have you told your grandparents about me yet?" The older girl questioned,

"um..." Sam repeated.

"Shall we go and see them now?"

"Best not," Robbie interrupted, "Mike, our care worker will back soon and if they found out then social will just get involved, and everything will be a mess and..."

"I can't be fucked," Ari added.

"Yeah, precisely," Robbie agreed, "and we'll get questioned again. Like normal."

Ari took a hold of her girlfriend's hand, who was visibly stressed out by the situation, stress building up.

"So tomorrow?" Evelyn suggested,

"yes. Fine." Sam snapped, "bye. See you tomorrow," and she stormed off down the road, Ari went after her, Evelyn went to pursue her but Robbie put a firm hand of her shoulder.

"See you tomorrow Evelyn," he told her solidly, and she was still for a moment, looking indignant before turning and storming off in the opposite direction.

Xxx

Everything had quietened down, all the questions had been asked: _does being cut open hurt? Was there a lot of blood? Was Alfie covered in green slime when he was born? Where's the egg shell? __If I planted Alfie would lots of big Alfies grow?_

"I," Rick said, and everyone turned to him, "have bought Alfie something," he announced, and he brought out the new Jeff.

"Jeff!" Floss exclaimed,

"a new Jeff for a new baby," May Li said.

"A new Jeff for the newest addition to the family," Faith added.

"Do you ever think that will be us?" Johnny asked Jem, who looked up from texting Jack.

"Us?! Me?! Children?!" She asked, looking utterly thrown by his question. "No," she told him, "I'm never becoming a parent, that wouldn't be fair on the child."

"Why not?" Johnny questioned,

"have you seen my family?" Jem asked raising her eyebrows, "my Dad and Uncle Myc..." she stopped.

"I thought you didn't know your Dad?" Johnny asked,

"I don't," she replied, "I just know that they are exactly like me."

"So..." Johnny started and she waved him off,

"not know."  
"When?"

"Never."

"Thank you," Erin said to Rick, "that's so thoughtful of you."

"It was nothing," he replied, kissing her.

"Yuck," Mo said, covering his eyes and the two teens simply laughed.

"So when will you be leaving?" Tee asked,

"as soon as Erin and Alfie are given clearance," Mike told her.

"Will there be time for a party first?" Tyler questioned,

"party?!" Johnny exclaimed, "another one?!"

"I don't see why not," Mike told them, and everyone began to talk loudly – excited.

"Shh," Rick said pointing towards his son, everyone peered to the little boy to discover he had fallen asleep.

"Awwh."

In his sleep, the little boy's fist was clenched around the new Jeff's leg, holding him tightly.

**So that's chapter 65 done, that's all of 2015's updates done :)**

**In the next chapter Aldo and Lynne will meet Evelyn, and Erin and Rick will be leaving.**

**So see you in 2016, hopefully you have a happy new year**

**Please review xxx**


	66. Time of Your Life

**Chapter 66**

**I am so sorry that this has taken so long for me to write, hopefully I will be able to upload in less than three and a half months next time *fingers crossed***

**Thank you Candyapple14 for reviewing**

**Thank you Cookie05 for reviewing**

**Thank you Guest for reviewing**

**Thank you Camogirl14 for reviewing**

**Previously the members of the dumping ground met Alfie (Erin and Rick's son), while Robbie and Ari met Evelyn (Sam's half sister).**

"Sam putting it off is only going to make it worse," Ari told her,

"I'll be more prepared tomorrow," Sam snapped.

"Well we told Evelyn we would tell them today," she replied, "so while I dislike Evelyn, I dislike breaking my promises more. So if you don't tell them, then I will."

"Ari!" Sam exclaimed, a whine to her voice, "that's not fair, and will just make everything worse."

"Hence why you should make sure you tell them, and don't leave it to me."

"Ariiiiii!" The blonde moaned, slumping down on her bed, "why are you being so sensible?"

"Because one of us has to be," Ari replied, sitting down next to Sam and kissing her nose, while Sam pouted at her before giving in and snuggling up to her girlfriend, resting her head on Ari's shoulder.

"I have to do this, don't I?" Sam gave in,

"unfortunately so," Ari replied,

"everything is going to change," Sam sighed.

"Not that much," the Chinese girl stated, turning to Sam, "I mean... relatively. I mean, like, this time last year, I was still in _that place_."

Sam blinked, "only a year?!"

"Yeah," Ari nodded, "in exactly two days it will be the anniversary of the day I got out. Like... think of how much my life has changed since then. If I can survive that, you can definitely survive an annoying bitchy new sister."

"I'm being an idiot," Sam declared, "in comparison to what you've gone through, this is ridiculous and inconsequential, and I'm making a huge fuss out of nothing."

"Sam, baby, that's not what I was saying. Sure, this may not be as traumatising and painful as my experience was, but that does not by any means make your own struggles any less real for you. Just because one person has suffered, or is suffering more than you make your problems any less worthwhile."

Ari paused, "analogy time," she said, "if Robbie was hit by a bus, and Jem was hit by a car, no one would tell Jem that she wouldn't be allowed to be hurt, simply because Robbie was hit by a bigger event, in this case a bus. Understand?"

Sam opened her mouth, and Ari raised her eyebrows, "understand?" she repeated.

"Yes," she replied,

"good good," she told her.

"I'll tell them before lunch," Sam stated, trying to not let the worry flood her voice.

"It'll be fine," Arietta said, taking her hands, "that's a promise."

"A postbox promise," they finished together.

Sam took to her feet, and started walking towards the door,

"um... what?" Ari questioned,

"it's before lunch," Sam stated, gesturing towards the clock, "let's do this before I bottle it."

Xxx

"We reckon that you'll be fine to be discharged tomorrow," a doctor told Erin and Rick, who looked stunned.

"Already?" Rick asked incredulously,

"yes," he told them, "both mum and baby are making very good progress."

"I'm not ready for this," Erin said later, after the doctor had left them. "I don't want to leave, and I don't know how we're going to cope."

"We'll have our foster family, they'll help us look us after Alfie, and give us an opportunity to get on with our lives," Rick told her.

"I don't want anyone else interfering," Erin snapped, "he's my son."

"Our son," Rick corrected, "anyway it's not like we have any other choices, if we want to keep him."

"Doesn't mean I'll like it," she replied, slumping down further into her bed.

Xxx

Sam walked straight into the living room where Lynne and Aldo were watching television, with Ari trailing behind her.

"Nonno, Grandma, I have something to tell you," Sam said, standing in front of them, blocking their view of the television.

Lynne turned off the tv, looking concerned. She opened her mouth to speak,

"I have a sister," Sam announced, her two grandparents exchanged a confused look.

"Yes," Lynne said tentatively, "Shine..."

"Another sister," Sam told them, and paused for a moment, as the shock set in.

"Well half sister," Ari injected,

"yeah, half sister," the blonde acknowledged.

"Which half?" Aldo asked, voice low, tone full of urgency.

"Dad," Sam told them,

"how old?" Lynne asked, fingers clutched onto the arms of her chair, knuckles turning white.

"16."

"That bastard!" Lynne exclaimed, throwing the television remote at the floor causing both Sam and Ari to jump, and Aldo to offer his hand to his wife.

"Lynne," Aldo said, before beginning to whisper to her in rapid Italian.

"No," she said once he finished, "he treated our daughter like shit, he destroyed our family."

"If he has never been around then we would have never had Sam," Aldo reminded her.

"We would have never lost Savina," Lynne replied, "or Mahria."

"What happened to Mahria wasn't his fault," Aldo stated.

"Savina not being there changed Mahria, and it was James' fault that Savina wasn't there," she snapped, "if Savina had been there, Mahria wouldn't have changed, and she wouldn't have gone to Rome and that would have never happened, she wouldn't have never been taken."

"We would also not have our beautiful and amazing granddaughter," Aldo said, looking at Sam who looked on the verge of tears, Ari already holding her hand. He opened his arms to her, and she ran into his hug, beginning to sob.

"If they hadn't taken Mahria, then they would have just taken someone else's daughter," Ari said, voice low. "Plus Savina would have still gotten cancer, sure you would have had her longer but you would have still lost her in the end," she paused. "Plus it's not Sam's fault, so there's point shouting about it."

"But that man treated my daughter abominably."

"She loved him," Aldo said, "and it was us who didn't approve. It wasn't his fault we lost Savina, it was ours."

"What?!" Sam exclaimed,

"she was too young, she was only 20; pregnant, engaged," Lynne snapped, "far too young."

"You got married when you were 18," Sam reminded her grandmother.

"It was different, I had a future of dead end jobs in front of me, before becoming a house wife. Your mother had amazing talent and gave it up, for a man who treated her like shit and cheated on her for years."

Sam paused, before looking at her watch.

"Well, I told Evelyn we would meet her..."

"ok," Lynne stood up, "let's go and meet her."

"Grandma, we can alone," Sam said, worry setting in, almost begging. "It's not like she's your family."

"I'm coming with you," Lynne told her granddaughter firmly.

"Sam, we are going to meet Evelyn at some point. It is better it happens sooner rather than later," Aldo told Sam, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Indeed," Lynne said, distaste clear in her voice.

Sam and Ari exchanged a look, neither girl could see this meeting going well.

Xxx

"Sam!" Evelyn exclaimed, wrapping the younger girl into a hug, which Sam allowed for an awkward second before wriggling free.

"Are they in there?" The older girl asked, gesturing towards the café, looking excited.

"Yes," Sam started, Evelyn began rushing towards the door, Sam grabbed her arm in order to restrain her, as if she were an overexcited toddler.

"Evelyn," she said, "wait a minute." Evelyn looked up at her in confusion, and Sam indicated towards one of the seats outside, which Evelyn took, worry beginning to set in.

"They accept that you will be a part of my life," Sam told the older girl, she paused,

"I'm guessing there's a but," Evelyn said dejectedly, Sam nodded.

"They do not see you as part of _their _family, so don't expect a pair of grandparents. They are my grandparents, not yours."

"Oh," Evelyn replied, shoulders drooping.

Sam paused, feeling a little bad for the older girl who currently looked as if she was on the verge of bursting into tears. Was it so unreasonable to want a family? To have what everyone else had?

"Look," Sam said, resting her hand on Evelyn's shoulder, "I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted, but you still have one more sister than you had last week. And maybe you'll get grandparents too, if you can win them over."

"How do I win them over?" Evelyn asked, tone demanding.

"Be yourself, that's all you can do," Sam replied. "Do you still want to do this?" She asked gesturing towards the café. The older girl paused, as if half considering the idea of running but then she nodded.

Sam led the nervous older girl into the café, winding through the tables up to a booth in the corner.

"What is she doing here?!" Evelyn stared at Ari, who was sandwiched in between Lynne and Aldo. Lynne squared, glaring at the girl.

"Ari is part of the family," she snapped defensively, "unlike some people," accompanied within a very pointed look, causing Evelyn to flinch.

Evelyn took the seat that had been left for her, feeling more like she had walked into an intensive job interview rather than a (not quite) family meeting.

"Evelyn, this is Lynne, my Grandma. Aldo, my Grandad," Sam paused, turning to smile at Arietta, "and this is my girlfriend, Ari, who you have already met."

"And adore," Ari added, grinning at Evelyn, almost as if in challenge.

"Couldn't you have at least brought the cute boy," Evelyn complained,

"he's not family," Sam stated quickly.

"Cute boy?" Aldo questioned,

"Robbie," Sam replied in explanation.

"Oh, alright Sam. I see how it is," Ari said laughing, "I see after all this," she gestured between them, "that it was all an elaborate ploy to get with Robbie."

"What?!" Sam exclaimed, looking flustered, "I don't like Robbie, not like that, like... I like you, a lot, I..." she stopped when she realised Lynne, Aldo, Ari and Evelyn were laughing, "shut up," Sam declared pouting.

"Awwh sweetie, are you ok?" Ari asked,

"you're so mean," Sam whined,

"but very entertaining," Aldo added.

"Nonno!" The blonde girl exclaimed, beginning, reluctantly, to start laughing. The usual cheery family atmosphere beginning to return.

"So Evelyn," Aldo said turning to the older girl, who looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. "Are you in care or have you been adopted or what?"

"Oh, um... I've been in care my, um... whole life, since I was a baby," Evelyn told them, "I have mostly been in foster care though I have been in some children's homes. I'm currently being fostered."

"So is your foster family here?" Sam questioned,

"oh, no," Evelyn replied, shaking her hair. "They think I'm at a friends house, and they haven't even bothered to check. They are a bit useless to be honest."

"So where do you come from?" Aldo asked,

"Oxford," she replied,

"I've been to Oxford before," Ari stated, everyone paused, waiting for the inevitable story that was coming, "um... I can't really remember it though."

"I've never been to Oxford," Sam said thoughtfully,

"give it three and a half years," Ari replied, and Sam looked at her in confusion, "when you inevitably go there for uni."

"Um... no," Sam replied,

"yes," Ari told her,

"I'm sure you are smart enough to go to Oxford," Evelyn told her younger sister.

"No," Sam said, "not Oxford. Cambridge."

"Urgh, same difference," Ari said flipping her hair over her shoulder,

"not really," Sam replied.

"They are both full of posh people and clever people," Ari replied,

"are you implying that people can't be posh and clever?" Evelyn asked.

"No, parents bribe their children's way in there,"

"Ari's that is not how it works," Lynne told her.

"Oh, I'm guessing that's a Chinese thing then," Ari commented, stirring her lemonade with her straw absent-mindedly.

"You're from China?" Evelyn asked,

"no I get this lovely complexion from a Anglo-Saxon descended White British family," she replied sarcastically.

"Yes, Ari lived in China until she was," Sam paused, "9(?)"

Arietta nodded.

"Did your family move here for work?"

"No, well my sister kind of did, though that was more coincidental and my brother just, sort of, buggered off."

"I didn't know you had a brother that came over with you," Lynne said,

"well I haven't seen him since I was 9, I don't even know if he's still in the UK."

"I imagined the social would be looking for him," Sam stated, "since he's your brother."

"Like I told them about him, he's here illegally," Ari replied.

"Are you an illegal immigrant?" Evelyn asked, voice a whisper, eyes wide.

"Nah, I'm a citizen," Ari told her, "he's not though."

"How come?"

"It's complicated," she replied, effectively shutting down that chain of conversation.

"So have you ever met your bastard of a father?" Lynne asked unabashed, and Evelyn almost spat out the coke that she presumed was hers, since it was waiting for her when she had gotten to the table; she had decided against telling them that she hated coke; hopefully they wouldn't buy it for her again.

"No..." Evelyn said carefully, but truthfully, "I haven't met my Mum either."

"Is that the skimpy bitch?" Lynne asked Sam,

"Kahri?" Sam questioned, "yes."

"I hate that man, and I hate that woman," Lynne told Evelyn,

"I'm sorry," Evelyn apologised, feeling completely out of her depth.

"There is no need to apologise," Aldo told her warmly, smiling, "you didn't chose them as your parents, you are in no way responsible for how they acted. Plus it's not like you have ever met them."

"Is it bad," Evelyn started, she looked around the table, wondering if she should continue, "that I kind of want to meet them, even though they are not the best people ever."

"No," Sam told her, "I kind of want to see them again," Lynne sent Sam a look, "what?!" Sam exclaimed, "I just want to tell Dad about Shine, because he was never told that she died, and while he may have acted like a complete bastard, he is still our Dad, and he deserves to know."

"Well if the opportunity either arose where you could met him again, I would let you," Lynne replied, and everyone exchanged a surprised look, surprised by how reasonable she was being. "As long as you kick him in the balls, call him a bastard and blame him for Shine's death," she added.

"Why do you hate our Dad?" Evelyn asked, only noticing too late Sam rapidly shaking her head.

"Well," Lynne began, counting on her fingers, "firstly he cheated on my daughter, secondly he left my daughter upon finding out she had cancer, thirdly he was a horrific father to Shine and Sam, fourth he broke my favourite vase."

"The blue one?" Aldo asked,

"the blue one," Lynne confirmed.

"And then you threw your shoe at him," Aldo reminded her,

"fifth proudest moment of my life," she said smirking.

"Fifth?" Sam questioned,

"First and second was when my daughters were born," Lynne explained, "third, when we found you," she said smiling at Sam, "and fourth when I married him," she gestured towards her husband.

Evelyn sat awkwardly, not quite understanding the situation. She couldn't quite keep up with the conversation.

"So Sam, do you know where our Dad is?" she asked,

"I haven't seen him since I was 11, so I have no idea," Sam replied, "probably still in London I imagine."

"Is it bad that I still want to meet him?" She questioned,

"yes," Lynne told her,

"no," Sam replied simultaneously, "it's only natural to wonder what your parents are like."

Before Evelyn could reply her phone started ringing, she stared at the screen, sighing. "It's my foster Mum," she explained, "hi," she answered, "yeah... no I'm fine, why are you wondering? Tina's? No, I'm not at Tina's, I'm at..." Evelyn paused searching for a name, trying to spin her web of lies, "Ari's."

Arietta shot a strange look at Evelyn, looking incredibly confused.

"Ari. Ari," Evelyn repeated, "y'know Ari, _Ari_ Ari. Ari from... school, yeah, she's in my English class, we've been working on Death of a Salesman. Er... yes I did tell you, yes. Well we're right in the middle of this section and it will probably take another good four hours, plus lunch and breaks, so I can be home for tonight. Ok, bye."

Evelyn hung up, "sorry for using your name," she apologised,

"you didn't tell your foster parents where you were going?!" Lynne exclaimed,

"they would have stopped me," she explained, going onto her phone, checking train times. "Right, I better get going, there's a train in an hour and I have to pack."

"Would you like me to help?" Sam asked, smiling at her sister.

"Yes, please, thank you," Evelyn replied,

"you better get going, we'll pay," Lynne told her,

"bye Lynne, bye Aldo, bye Ari," Evelyn said, before leading Sam out of the café.

"I hate her," Lynne announced, and Ari and Aldo exchanged a look,

"no you don't," they replied together,

"no I don't," Lynne admitted, "but she's never allowed to know."

Xxx

"Erin, Rick and Alfie are being discharged tomorrow, and they'll be going to live with a foster family," May Li explained to the kids gathered together in the youth hostel lobby.

"Will we see them before they leave?" Tee asked,

"that depends," May Li told them, "we can either stay here for the remainder of our holiday, or we can go back to Ashdene Ridge and say goodbye to Erin and Rick, but if we do that then we'll lose the end of our holiday."

"I want to say goodbye to Erin and Rick," Tee announced, casting her vote.

"Me too," Tyler agreed,

"me too, especially after everything they've done for me," Johnny added, sending a pointed look in Jemima's direction, prompting her to agree with him.

"Yes, let's go," Jem said, "I have business I need to attend to back in Newcastle."

"Like?" Tyler questioned,

"that is irrelevant," Jemima told him.

"I want to say goodbye," Faith added, and one by one everyone agreed, even Bailey, though it was some what reluctant.

"And can we throw them a party?" Mo asked, "or will Erin's chick be too small."

"A surprise party," Tyler exclaimed,

"with chocolate biscuits," Jody added.

"And Ari," Robbie said, getting out his phone to text his best friend, to explain what was going on.

Meanwhile Jem took to the stage, taking control of party planning.

Xxx

There were no obvious signs that anyone was at Ashdene Ridge, the next day when Mike arrived back with Rick, Erin and Alfie. May Li had parked the minibus around the back, and no decorations had been put out in the hall, and the house was silent.

Mike had taken Alfie off Erin, and sent the two teens off to pack.

As soon as they were safely out of sight, Mike headed into the kitchen where (silent) preparations were in full swing. Ari had turned up with a large basket of Aldo's cooking, Floss and Harry were decorating the cake that Tee had made that morning.

"Awwh he's so cute," Tee exclaimed, and soon everyone was cooing over the baby. Well everyone apart from Robbie and Ari who had headed into the living room, to hang up banners.

"Are you alright?" Robbie asked as they fixed the third banner in place,

"I've been worse," Ari replied, and he left the banner to pull her into a hug. "Thanks,"

"I've missed you," he told her,

"me too," she agreed.

"What, you've missed yourself?" He teased, and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Yeah, I haven't seen myself very much recently."

"what?!" He exclaimed, though still quietly enough to remain unheard by the kids upstairs. "Haven't you been looking in mirrors? Or worse..." he gasped dramatically, "not taking selfies."

"I've only taken 20 selfies today," she protested, "that's not that many."

Robbie considered, that was the truth when in reference to her. Her camera roll was probably composed 90% of selfies by herself, 5% selfies with either him or Sam or both, or on one particularly memorable (and surprising) occasion, Jem. 3% pictures of her and Symphony, and 1.5% various music puns, and 0.5% a collection of hot female celebrities. A collection that when he had stumbled across when he stole her phone in maths, had led to a particular uncomfortable remainder of the day.

"It's going to be so different without Erin and Rick here," he stated,

"yeah," Ari agreed, "after all since I have been here they've have been central to dumping ground life, and they're, like, the leaders. Everything's going to change." She paused, tying up the final banner, "Faith will be a good leader though,"

"oh definitely," Robbie said nodding,

"are you done?" Jem asked walking in, she paused, surveying the room, "it looks adequate, go into the garden and help Tyler with the balloons."

Xxx

"Have you finished packing?" Rick asked, poking his head round Erin's door. Her suitcase was closed, and her wardrobe empty, she was sat on the floor, back against the wall. He sat down next to her, and put his arm around her.

"I'm going to miss this so much," she said, voice small, barely a whisper.

"Me too," he agreed,

"I wish we could say goodbye to everyone," Erin added, "it feels weird leaving without saying goodbye."

"We can come back again," Rick reminded her,

"but that will be different," she replied, "it won't be our home any more. They'll be other people, other leaders, we won't be a part of it any more." She paused, pulling out her phone.

"What are you doing?" He questioned, peering over her shoulder.

"Texting Ari, I don't think she went back to the Lake District," Erin said, "I want to talk to her."

Rick looked at her in confusion.

"Say sorry, say thank you, say goodbye, plus," Erin sighed, looking around, "this place needs a new leader."

"And you think Ari is the right person?" Rick asked, Erin nodded.

"She's strong. So strong. She's kind, she may be a drama queen but she's a kind one, and she's willing to fight for what she believes in," she explained, "and Robbie balances at least a little of her insanity."

"Is Robbie going to be the other leader?"

"Yeah, he's come along way in six months," she replied, she paused before laughing, "I can't believe I punched him in the face."

"I can't believe he used to be like that," Rick added, "especially since he is now like the ultimate nice guy."

"Well if Ari can turn a sexist bully into a nice guy then she is definitely a worthy leader."

"Were you talking about me?" Ari said poking her head round the door, causing the two other teens to jump. "Sorry, did I scare you?" She asked grinning, "I got your text."

"You were quick," Erin commented,

"I was downstairs," she explained, "and I was a bit tied up, hence why I didn't say hello earlier."

She paused, "are you finished packing?" she asked gesturing towards the suitcases,

"yeah," Erin said,

"come with me then," she told them,

"why?" they asked together.

"Cake?!" She exclaimed, as if it were obvious.

She led then downstairs, and led them into the living room.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted as they walked in, for a second Erin and Rick stood still, stunned. Then Erin pulled Ari into a hug,

"thank you," she whispered,

"oh this wasn't really me, I helped a bit," Ari told her, "this was all organised by Jem."

Erin pulled away, and peered at the Welsh girl who was glaring at her with a look that read, _hug me and you'll live to regret it._

"Thank you Jem," she said instead, "thank you everyone."

"Wait... what about the holiday?" Rick asked, the penny dropping.

"We came back," Tee told him, "you two are more important."

"Three," Mo corrected pointing towards Alfie, who was in Mike's arms.

The next half an hour passed with a montage of hugging, and "thank you"s, and cake, and Taylor Swift being blasted (though not too loud to upset Alfie) since Ari had commandeered the music system, much to the chagrin of Jem. While Sam turned up after the first twenty minutes, her guitar safely hidden in the kitchen.

"Ari," Sam hissed, dragging her out of the living room into the kitchen, closing the door behind them. She pointed at her guitar, "what is this about?"

"Well... I had an idea," Ari told her,

"never a good start," Sam replied, and her girlfriend pouted at her.

"You have told me before that when people were leaving that Erin would sing," she started,

"oh no, that's not even on," Sam replied immediately, "I'm no where near as good a singer as Erin."

"You are good," Ari told her firmly, "just in a different way to Erin, you have a different voice. Trust me I'm a professional." She paused, "plus, to me, bad music tortures my soul. If I thought you were bad I would actively discourage you, and would not be suggesting this. Trust me Sam, you're a good singer."

"Ok," Sam said, "just imagine if was doing this, I'm not. This is purely hypothetical. What would I sing?"

"I hadn't got that far yet," Ari admitted, "I thought you might have an idea, since you've known Erin longer than me."

"Well," Sam paused thinking, "when we discovered Rick's brain tumour disappeared," Sam stopped, "I didn't know brain tumours could do that, but apparently so. Anyway, she sung A Thousand Years,"

"I love that song," Ari cried, pressing her hand to her heart.

"When Elektra left she sung I'll always remember you," Ari looked confused, "by Miley Cyrus," Sam elaborated.

"So kind of topical songs, is what they always went for," she said, as if trying to piece together the information you had just found out. "What songs do you think of when you think of Erin?"

"Sk8er boi," Sam replied,

"a little bit savage," Ari said laughing,

"what? oh..." Sam trailed off, as it hit her.

"What singers does she like?" Arietta asked, trying a new angle.

"Green Day, Pink, The Foo Fighters," Sam reeled off,

"Hmm, how much Green Day do you know?"

"A couple of songs," Sam replied, "Wake me up when September ends, Boulevard of broken dreams, holiday..."

"time of your life?" Ari interrupted,

"yeah," the blonde girl paused, "it's got a violin part."

"Well not... yeah... well... it has now," her girlfriend replied, indicating towards her violin which Sam hadn't seen before. "Grab you'll guitar, we'll give it a quick run through in the garden."

Xxx

The music came to a stop, no one had noticed Sam and Ari return, so it was a surprise to see Sam perched on a chair with her guitar and Ari with her violin.

"We've only had one practice so don't expect anything wonderful," Sam started,

"but I'm pretty sure this is a tradition," Ari interrupted, "this is our leaving present for you two. We hope you had the time of the life."

With that Sam begin playing, Erin gasped and her and Rick exchanged a look.

"I love this song," she whispered, as Sam began singing. Soon Ari joined in, playing the harmony and a solo, but no one took their eyes off Sam.

"It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life," she finished.

Once the instrumental had finished, everyone started cheering and Erin rushed forward to hug Sam.

That was then hugging started, because it finally began to feel like the end.

Over the cheer of the room, a firm ring of the doorbell cut through the atmosphere.

It was time.

Xxx

The hugging, and party was able to be kept up for another half an hour while Mike sorted out paperwork with the Casters – Erin, Rick and Alfie's new foster parents.

"We have to go now," Mrs Caster announced, the room chilled, the party atmosphere evaporated, reality setting in; it was the end of a chapter.

They all traipsed outside, Mr Caster strapped Alfie into a car seat, while Mrs Caster got into the driving seat.

"I'm sorry Ari," Erin apologised, hugging the older girl, "I wish we could have been friends."

"Me too," Ari agreed,

"sorry for being a bitch," Erin replied and Ari paused before initiating a hug.

"I think we've both learnt something," she told the brunette, a couple of seconds into the embrace, and Erin nodded, before pulling away.

"Sammy," she said hugging Sam, using her old nickname.

"Erin," the blonde replied,

"I never knew you could sing like that," Erin told her, "it was beautiful."

"I'm nothing on you," Sam replied honestly,

"sorry about Thorpe Park."

"It's alright," San told her, Erin pulled away, only to be met with the full force of Hurricane Harry, who wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her tight.

"Jeff is going to miss you," Harry told her, "especially your stories."

One by one every member of the dumping ground had headed up to say goodbye, even Jemima, though her idea of saying goodbye was reeling off statistics telling Erin and Rick that they could expect to experience a horrible quality of life.

"Do you think it'll be like this when we leave?" Robbie wondered out loud, as they perched on the wall.

"It wasn't like this when I left," Sam reminded them,

"yeah, cos you moved next door," he pointed out.

"I doubt it," Ari said, "I reckon we'll leave quietly."

"You, quiet?!" Robbie exclaimed, "that would be a first."

"The words Ari and Quiet were not created to exist within the same sentence," Sam added.

"Excusez moi," Ari replied, elbowing both her friends in the ribs, "who gave you two permission to be so truthful?"

"Not the Queen," Robbie said smirking, there was silence for a moment, "we'll probably get the standard goodbye party; lots of hugs, and if we're lucky; a legacy," he added after a minute.

"Yeah," Ari said laughing, "like a Gus tour."

"Ari postboxes," he replied,

"Ari insanity," Sam corrected,

"or Ari homosexuality," Ari added smirking, "anyone who comes out from now on shall be known as Ari."

"Thank god I'm already out," Sam said, "the world is not ready for two Ari's, especially not two Ari's in a relationship."

"What isn't the world ready for yet?" Erin questioned, walking up to the trio.

"Two Ari's," Robbie told her,

"I think the world needs a couple of years first," Erin said, flicking her long hair over her shoulder.

There was a pause, and Rick came over to join them, pulling Robbie into a hug, then Sam into a hug, and then offering Ari his hand which she shook, smiling.

"Er... Robbie," Erin started, looking at her feet, taking a deep breath and looking back up at Robbie, "sorry for punching you in the face on my first day at school," she apologised awkwardly, while Robbie laughed, and pulled her into a hug.

"I had it coming," he replied honestly.

"That is true, mate," Rick agreed, "you did used to act like a massive dick."

"Erin, Rick, we have to go now," Mrs Caster called from the car. Rick and Erin hugged Mike one last time, before turning their attention to the kids.

"Ari and Robbie are in charge now," Erin declared, the kids all nodded, trusting their leader's final delegation, while the best friends exchanged a look of shock.

With that Erin and Rick climbed into the back of the car, waving as the car pulled out of the drive,

"bye," they called out of the rolled down window, the kids waved like crazy until the car pulled around the corner and out of sight.

"I'm going to miss them," Tyler declared,

"me too," Mike said.

"Come on guys, let's head inside," Ari declared,

"check you out Miss Leader Girl," Sam replied, giving her a quick kiss before allowing herself to be herded inside with the others. Ari threw a wistful look to the road.

"I'm going to miss them," Ari told Robbie who was standing by her side,

"me too," he said putting his arm around her, "come on," he said smiling, "let's go inside," he held the door open for her.

"We have a job to do."

**So that's the end of Erin and Rick, hopefully it was good enough.**

**That the end of part two, so the third (and final) part will be starting next chapter. Don't worry though, this story won't be finishing any time soon. **

**I will try and update quicker this time, but my first AS exam is literally 3 weeks away, so that won't likely be possible.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review xxx**


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